Trap Assays of the Walnut Twig Beetle, Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), Reveal an Effective Semiochemical Repellent Combination

Thousand cankers disease (TCD), is an invasive insect-disease complex caused by the walnut twig beetle, Pityophthorus juglandis , and fungal pathogen, Geosmithia morbida . Semiochemical interruption is a viable option for protecting walnut trees from P. juglandis attack. The goal of this study was to test beetle responses to potential repellent compounds. The results of five, flight-intercept assays are reported. Assays 1–3 tested four compounds at variable release rates: ( S )-(−)-verbenone, ( R )-(+)-verbenone, racemic chalcogran, and racemic trans -conophthorin. Trapping results indicated that the highest release rate tested for each compound was the most effective in reducing the number of beetles caught. ( S )-(−)-Verbenone was the least effective, reducing P. juglandis trap catches by 66%. ( R )-(+)-Verbenone reduced the number of P. juglandis by 84%. Neither enantiomer of verbenone performed as well as chalcogran or trans -conophthorin, which both reduced the number of beetles caught by ca. 98%. Following individual assays, the most effective compounds were tested in subtractive-combination assays. Combinations of high release rates for ( R )-(+)-verbenone, trans -conophthorin, and two stereoisomers of limonene (tested in a previous study) were tested in two assays. The subtractive-combination assays were inconclusive in that trap catches were similar across all treatments. All combination treatments were highly effective, achieving approximately 99% reduction in the number of beetles caught. Based on the trapping results, commercial availability, and cost of the semiochemicals tested, we conclude that a combination of ( R )-(+)-limonene, trans -conophthorin, and ( R )-(+)-verbenone constitutes an effective tool for reducing P. juglandis trap catches.