Sex Pheromone of the Peach Fruit Moth, Carposina niponensis WALSINGHAM (Lepidoptera : Carposinidae) : Isolation, Identification and Synthesis

Abstract

Two compounds were isolated as active components of the female sex pheromone of the peach fruit moth, Carposina niponensis WALSHINGHAM. The major components was identified as (Z)-7-eicosen-11-one, and the minor one was suggested to be (Z)- or (E)-7-nonadecen-11-one. (Z)-7-Tricosen-11-one was also isolated but this compound was not biologically active. (Z)- and (E)-isomers of 7-alken-11-ones of carbon numbers ranging from 17 to 23 were synthesized. Biological activity of synthetic (Z)-7-eicosen-11-one (compound A) and (Z)-7-nonadecen-11-one (compound B) as attractants for male moths was verified in the field. The activity was synergistically enhanced by mixing the two compounds in the ratio of 20 to 1 for compound A to compound B.