Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-hfldf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-05T13:56:15.594Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Quantitative bioassays for sex pheromone analysis in Spodoptera exempta (Wlk.) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), and laboratory evidence of cross-attraction among three species

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Syed Khasimuddin  and
Morton C. Lubega
Syed Khasimuddin
Affiliation:
The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya
Morton C. Lubega
Affiliation:
The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya
Get access

Abstract

The courtship behaviour of male Spodoptera exempta (Wlk.) has been quantified and used as a method of bioassay for the female sex pheromone. Virgin females become attractive to sexually mature males from 72 hr after emergence and henceforth their attractiveness increases gradually until they have mated. Mated females start losing their attractiveness to males gradually after mating and 72–96 hr after mating they cannot produce any courtship response in males. Amongst virgin females, crude pheromone-gland extract and synthetic pheromone compounds, it is the older live females and the crude extract at 0.1 female equivalent that produce highest responses in males. A certain degree of cross-attraction between three coexisting species has been noted, both by using live insects as well as synthetic pheromone compounds of these species under laboratory bioassays. Possible interspecific pheromone-related implications are discussed.

Keywords

Spodoptera exemptainterspecific communicationpheromone bioassayquantitative bioassaycross-attractionreproductive isolation
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 5 , Issue 4 , August 1984 , pp. 325 - 328
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Beevor, P. S., Hall, D. R., Lester, R. G., Read, J. S. and Nesbitt, B. F. (1975) Sex pheromones of the armyworm moth, Spodoptera exempta (Wlk.). Experientia 31, 22–23.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blair, B. W. and Tannock, J. (1978a) A further note on the possible pheromone for Spodoptera triturata (Wlk.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Rhod. J. agric. Res. 16, 221–223.Google Scholar
Blair, B. W. and Tannock, J. (1978b) Observation of interspecific attraction by mated females of Spodoptera triturata (Wlk.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Rhod. J. agric. Res. 16, 225–227.Google Scholar
Brady, E. U. and Gaynard, M. C. Jr (1972) Identification of a sex pheromone of the female beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua. Ann. ent. Soc. Am. 63, 898–899.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, E. S., Betts, E. and Rainey, R. C. (1969) Seasonal changes in the distribution of the African armyworm, Spodoptera exempta (Wlk.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) with special reference to eastern Africa. Bull. ent. Res. 58, 661–728.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, E. S. and Dewhurst, C. F. (1975) The genus Spodoptera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Africa and the near east. Bull. ent. Res. 65, 221–262.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campion, D. G. (1975) Sex pheromones and their uses for control of insects of the genus Spodoptera. Meded. Fac. Landb. Rijksuniv. Gent. 40, 283–292.Google Scholar
Evans, L. J. (1952) Female Aretia cacia L. attracting other Arctinae. Ent. Rec. 64, 86.Google Scholar
Gaynard, M. C. Jr and Brady, U. E. (1972) Interspecific attraction in Lepidoptera in the field. Ann. ent. Soc. Am. 56, 1279–1282.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grant, G. G. (1975) Extraction and bioassay of female sex pheromone of white-marked tussock moth, Oryia lencostigma (Lepidoptera: Lymantridae). Can. Ent. 107, 303–309.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaae, R. S., Shorey, H. H., McFarland, S. U. and Gaston, L. K. (1973) Sex pheromones of Lepidoptera. XXXVII. Role of sex pheromones and other factors in reproductive isolation among ten species of Noctuidae. Ann. ent. Soc. Am. 66, 444–48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Khasimuddin, S. (1979) Courtship and mating behaviour of the African armyworm, Spodoptera exempta (Wlk.), (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Bull. ent. Res. 68, 195–202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Klun, J. A. and Robinson, J. F. (1972) Olfactory discrimination in the European corn borer, and several pheromonally analogous moths. Ann. ent. Soc. Am. 65, 1337–1340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, E. R. (1976) Mating specificity in Spodoptera spp. Florida Entomologist 59, 416.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, E. R. (1982) Attraction of Schinia mitis males to southern armyworm females. Florida Entomologist 65, 291.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nielson, D. G. and Balderston, C. P. (1973) Evidence of inter-generic sex attraction among aegeriids. Ann. ent. Soc. Am. 66, 227.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roelofs, W. L. and Comeau, A. (1969) Sex pheromone specificity: taxonomic and evolutionary aspects of Lepidoptera. Science 165, 398–400.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Saunders, C. J. (1971) Sex pheromone specificity and taxonomy of budworm moths (Choristoneura). Science 171, 911–913.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sekul, A. A. and Sparks, A. N. (1967) Sex pheromones of the fall armyworm moth: isolation, identification and synthesis. J. econ. Ent. 60, 1270–1272.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shorey, H. H., Gaston, L. K. and Fukuto, T. R. (1964) Sex pheromones of noctuid moths. I. A quantitative bioassay for the sex pheromone of Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). J. econ. Ent. 57, 252–254.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tamaki, Y., Noguchi, H. and Yushima, T. (1973) Sex pheromone of Spodoptera litura (F.): Isolation, identification and synthesis. Appl. ent. Zool. 8, 200–203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tamaki, Y. and Yushima, T. (1974) Sex pheromone of the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis. J. Insect Physiol. 20, 1005–1014.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed