Abstract
Behavioral studies using an olfactometer demonstrated that sexual females (oviparae) of the damson-hop aphid,Phorodon humuli, release a pheromone to which males respond. Volatiles produced by the oviparae were analyzed by coupled gas chromatography-single cell recording from the secondary rhinaria on the male antenna and showed the presence of one peak with major activity. Coupled gas chrornatography-mass spectrometry suggested a nepetalactol, which was shown to have the 4aR, 7S, 7aS stereochemistry by synthesis from the corresponding nepetalactone isolated from the labiate plantNepeta mussinii. Although the stereochemistry at carbon-1 is not yet established, a synthetic sample comprising ca. 70% 1S and 30% 1R attracted highly significant numbers of males to water traps placed within and adjacent to a hop garden. Initial studies also indicated attraction of males in both the olfactometer and in the field by volatiles from the primary host.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Dawson, G.W., Griffiths, D.C., Janes, N.F., Mudd, A., Pickett, J.A., Wadhams, L.J., andWoodcock, C.M. 1987. Identification of an aphid sex pheromone.Nature 325:614–616.
Dawson, G.W., Griffiths, D.C., Merritt, L.A., Mudd, A., Pickett, J.A., Wadhams, L.J., andWoodcock, C.M. 1988. The sex pheromone of the greenbug,Schizaphis graminum.Entomol. Exp. Appl. 48:91–93.
Dawson, G.W., Janes, N.F., Mudd, A., Pickett, J.A., Slawin, A.M.Z., Wadhams, L.J., andWilliams, D.J. 1989. The aphid sex pheromone.Pure Appl. Chem. 61:555–558.
Dawson, G.W., Griffiths, D.C., Merritt, L.A., Mudd, A., Pickett, J.A., Wadhams, L.J., andWoodcock, C.M. 1990. Aphid semiochemicals: A review and recent advances on the sex pheromone.J. Chem. Ecol. 16:3019–3030.
Eppler, A. 1986. Untersuchungen zur Wirtswahl vonPhorodon humuli Schrk. I. Besiedelte Pflanzenarten.Anz. Schaedlingskde., Pflanz. Umweltschutz 59:1–8.
Hardie, J.,Holyoak, M.,Nicholas, J.,Nottingham, S.F.,Pickett, J.A.,Wadhams, L.J., andWoodcock, C.M. 1990. Aphid sex pheromone components: Age-dependent release by females and male response.Chemoecology In press.
Marsh, D. 1972. Sex pheromone in the aphid Megoura viciae.Nature (London), New Biol. 238:31–32.
Nault, L.R., andMontgomery, M.E. 1977. Aphid pheromones, pp. 527–545,in K.F. Harris and K. Maramorosch (eds.). Aphids as Vectors. Academic Press, London.
Pettersson, J. 1970. An aphid sex attractant. I. Biological studies.Entomol. Scand. 1:63–73.
Pettersson, J. 1971. An aphid sex attractant. II. Histological, ethological and comparative studies.Entomol. Scand. 2:81–93.
Pettersson, J.,Pickett, J.A.,Wadhams, L.J., andWoodcock, C.M. 1990. Laboratory studies on the behavioral ecology of the damson-hop aphid,Phorodon humuli. In preparation.
Pickett, J.A. 1990. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in insect pheromone identification: Three extreme case histories, pp. 299–309,in A.R. McCaffery and I.D. Wilson (eds.), Chromatography and Isolation of Insect Hormones and Pheromones. Plenum Press, New York and London.
Steffan, A.W. 1987. Fern- und Nahorientierung geflugelter Gynoparae und Sexualis-Männchen bei Blattläusen (Homoptera: Aphidinea: Aphididae).Entomol. Gener. 12:235–258.
Taylor, L.R. 1951. An improved suction trap for insects.Ann. Appl. Biol. 38:582–591.
Wadhams, L.J. 1990. The use of coupled GC-electrophysiological techniques in the identification of insect pheromones, pp. 289–298,in A.R. McCaffery and I.D. Wilson (eds.), Chromatography and Isolation of Insect Hormones and Pheromones. Plenum Press, New York and London.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Campbell, C.A.M., Dawson, G.W., Griffiths, D.C. et al. Sex attractant pheromone of damson-hop aphid Phorodon humuli (Homoptera, aphididae). J Chem Ecol 16, 3455–3465 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00982110
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00982110