Comparative analysis of sex-pheromone-response antagonists in three races of European corn borer

Abstract

Behavioral responses of males from three New York races of European corn borer,Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), to various suspected sexpheromone-response antagonists were investigated with a flight tunnel protocol. Males from a bivoltine (Z) race and from a univoltine (Z) race utilizing a natural pheromone blend of 98∶2 (Z)-∶(E)-11-tetradecenyl acetates and males from a bivoltine (E) race utilizing a 1∶99 (Z)-∶(E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate ratio were flown to their natural blends and to blends containing 1 % of one of the following additional compounds: Z9-12∶OAc,E9-12∶OAc,Z9-14∶OAc, andE9-14∶OAc. In each race, the added components lowered significantly the number of individuals completing the behavioral sequence. The only exception was bivoltineE males flown to a blend withE9-12∶OAc added. The number completing the sequence in this case was statistically not significantly lower than the number that completed the sequence to the standard blend. In all three races, theZ9-14∶OAc produced the most dramatic reduction in completed flights, and in the univoltineZ race, this added component was significantly more effective in reducing completed flights than any other added component. The response to the Z9-14∶OAc is understandable given recently published findings of an electrophysiological study of single sensilla in the European corn borer.