Compounds from Host Fruit Odor Attractive to Adult Plum Curculios (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract

Three release rates of each of 30 compounds identified as components of the odor of unripe host plum or apple fruit were evaluated in field tests in 1999 for attractiveness to adult plum curculios, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst). Compounds were introduced into polyethylene vials and assayed in association with boll weevil traps placed beneath infested apple trees in Ohio and Massachusetts. Results confirmed previously reported attractiveness of limonene and ethyl isovalerate to this insect. In addition, at least six other compounds showed good evidence of attractiveness (benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, decanal, E-2-hexenal, geranyl propionate and hexyl acetate), and five other compounds appeared worthy of further evaluation for attractiveness (2-hexanol, 1-pentanol, 2-pentanol, phenylacetaldehyde and 2-propanol). Degree of attractiveness of compounds varied according to release rate.