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Host Attractants for Red Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus: Identification, Electrophysiological Activity, and Laboratory Bioassay

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Abstract

A steam distillate from the freshly cut young bark of coconut palm Cocos nucifera was analyzed by gas chromatography, combined gas chromatography–electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) and GC-MS to detect host attractants for the curculionid weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, one of the major coconut pests in Sri Lanka. A twin FID peak consisting of a minor and a major component was shown to possess electrophysiological (EAG) activity. The minor peak was identified as γ-nonanoic lactone 1, while the major peak was identified as 4-hydroxy-3-methoxystyrene 2. In an EAG assay the synthetic racemic nonanoic lactone 1 did not elicit a considerable response in the antenna of R. ferrugineus, whereas the laboratory synthesized 2 showed activity. In a laboratory bioassay using a Y-type olfactometer, synthetic 1 and 2 elicited moderate attractant properties to R. ferrugineus, whereas a 1:1 mixture of the compounds showed increased attraction over that of the individual compounds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

    Neelakanthi E. Gunawardena & Chandana Meegoda

  2. Institute for Organic Chemistry, FAU-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, D-91054, Erlangen, Germany

    Friedrich Kern, Edelgard Janssen, Doris Schäfer, Otto Vostrowsky & Hans Jürgen Bestmann

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  1. Neelakanthi E. Gunawardena
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  2. Friedrich Kern
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  3. Edelgard Janssen
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  4. Chandana Meegoda
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  5. Doris Schäfer
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  6. Otto Vostrowsky
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  7. Hans Jürgen Bestmann
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Gunawardena, N.E., Kern, F., Janssen, E. et al. Host Attractants for Red Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus: Identification, Electrophysiological Activity, and Laboratory Bioassay. J Chem Ecol 24, 425–437 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022304601123

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