Electrophysiological and behavioral responses of Diaphania glauculalis males to female sex pheromone

The aim of this study is to identify the pheromone active component of female moths, Diaphania glauculalis , an important pest of Anthocephalus chinensis in China. The sex pheromone was extracted from sex pheromone gland extracts of virgin female moth of D. glauculalis using n-hexane, and the pheromone gland extracts of females were analyzed using coupled gas chromatography–electroantennogram detection (GC-EAD) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The sex pheromone active components were based on the comparison the retention time and mass spectrum, with suitable synthetic compounds. ( E )-11-hexadecenal ( E 11-16:Ald) and ( E , E )-10,12-hexadecadienal ( E 10 E 12-16:Ald) were identified as the major sex pheromone components in the females. Their biological activities were evaluated in a series of electroantennogram (EAG) experiments and four-arm olfactometer assays using synthetic compounds. D. glauculalis males could be attracted by any single component, but a mixture of the E 11-16:Ald and E 10 E 12-16:Ald in a ratio of 5:5 elicited a substantial response, demonstrating that the binary blend is essential in male attraction. We therefore conclude that the aldehyde compounds, a mixture of E 11-16:Ald and E 10 E 12-16:Ald, comprise the sex pheromone components of D. glauculalis , which might be applied for insect field trapping.