Functional characterization of sensory neuron membrane protein 1a involved in sex pheromone detection of Apolygus lucorum(Hemiptera:Miridae)

The mirid bug Apolygus lucorum(Hemiptera:Miridae)is a polyphagous pest that affects a wide range of host plants.Its control remains challenging mainly due to its rapid reproduction,necessitating an understanding of sex pheromone communication.The recognition of sex pheromones is vital for courtship and mating behaviors,and is mediated by various chemosensory-associated proteins.Among these,sensory neuron membrane protein(SNMP),a CD36-related protein,is suggested to play crucial roles in detecting sex pheromones.In this study,we employed transcriptomic and genomic data from A.lucorum and phylogenetic approaches,and identified four putative SNMP genes(AlucSNMP1a,AlucSNMP1b,AlucSNMP2a,and AlucSNMP2b)with full open reading frames.Expression analysis revealed the ubiquitous presence of AlucSNMP transcripts in multiple tissues,with only AlucSNMP1a exhibiting male-biased expression in the antennae,suggesting its potential role in male chemosensation.Functional analysis using the Xenopus oocyte expression system,coupled with two-electrode voltage clamp recording,demonstrated that the co-expression of AlucSNMP1a with specific pheromone receptors(PRs)and the Odorant receptor co-receptor(Orco)significantly enhanced electrophysiological responses to sex pheromones compared to the co-expression of PRs and Orco alone.Moreover,the results indicated that the presence of AlucSNMP1a not only affected the responsiveness to sex pheromones but also influenced the kinetics(activation and inactivation)of the induced signals.In contrast,the co-expression of AlucSNMP1b with AlucPR/Orco complexes had no impact on the inward currents induced by two pheromone compounds.An examination of the selective pressures on SNMP1 genes across 20 species indicated strong purifying selection,implying potential functional conservation in various insects.These findings highlight the crucial role of AlucSNMP1a in the response to sex pheromones.

The Ca^(2+)/CaN/ACC and cAMP/PKA/HK signal pathways are required for PBAN-mediated sex pheromone biosynthesis in Conogethes punctiferalis

Conogethes punctiferalis is a crop and fruit pest that has caused serious economic losses to agricultural production.This pest relies heavily on its sex pheromone to ensure sexual encounters and subsequent mating success.However,the molecular mechanism underlying sex pheromone biosynthesis in this species remains elusive.The present study investigated the detailed mechanism underlying PBAN-regulated sex pheromone biosynthesis in C.punctiferalis by transcriptome sequencing of the C.punctiferalis pheromone glands(PGs)and subsequent functional identification of the target genes.The results showed that female mating started from the first scotophase,and peaked at the second to fifth scotophases in accordance with the release of sex pheromones.PBAN regulated sex pheromone biosynthesis by employing Ca^(2+)and cAMP as secondary messengers,as demonstrated by RNA interference(RNAi),pharmacological inhibitors,and behavioral assays.Further investigation revealed that calcineurin(CaN)and acetyl-CoA carboxylase(ACC)were activated by PBAN/Ca^(2+)signaling,and the RNAimediated knockdown of CaN and ACC transcripts significantly reduced sex pheromone production,ultimately leading to a significantly reduced ability of females to attract males.Importantly,hexokinase(HK)was found to regulate sex pheromone biosynthesis in response to the PBAN/cAMP/PKA signaling pathway,as demonstrated by RNAi,enzyme activity,and pharmacological inhibitor assays.Furthermore,Far2 and Desaturase1 were found to participate in PBAN-regulated sex pheromone biosynthesis.Altogether,our findings revealed that PBAN regulates sex pheromone biosynthesis through the PBANR/Ca^(2+)/CaN/ACC and PBANR/cAMP/PKA/HK pathways in C.punctiferalis,which enriches our comprehension of the details of sex pheromone biosynthesis in moths.

Analysis of sex pheromone production and field trapping of the Asian corn borer(Ostrinia furnacalis Guenée)in Xinjiang,China

Identifying the sex pheromone systems of local pest populations facilitates their management,especially for moth species that show significant geographic variation in sex pheromone communication.We investigated the pheromone production and behavioral responses of the Asian corn borer(Ostrinia furnacalis Guenée;ACB)in Xinjiang,China.The ACB produces three compounds:(Z)-12-tetradecenyl acetate(Z12-14:Ac)and(E)-12-tetradecenyl acetate(E12-14:Ac)which are two sex pheromone compounds,and n-tetradecyl acetate(14:Ac)which has variable roles in mediating behavioral responses.The ratios of these three compounds produced in female gland are geographically distinct among different populations.Quantitative analysis of pheromone production showed that the proportions of Z12-14:Ac in the E/Z isomers(i.e.,Z and E12-14:Ac)and the proportions of 14:Ac in the ternary blend respectively averaged 60.46%(SD=5.26)and 25.00%(SD=7.37),with their probabilities normally or near-normally distributed.Trapping experiments in a cornfield indicated that deploying the E/Z isomers and the three compounds in rubber septa close to their gland ratios yielded the most captured males,while other ratios that deviated from the gland ratios showed reduced field captures.The ternary blend was significantly more attractive to males than the E/Z isomers in the field,indicating a functional role of 14:Ac as the third pheromone component used by the local population.Additionally,the dose-response test demonstrated that the application of the three compounds at dosages between 200 and 350μg attracted significantly more males compared to other dosages.Therefore,the characterization of this local ACB pheromone system provides additional information about its geographic variation and serves as a basis for optimizing the pheromone-mediated control of this pest in Xinjiang.

Pheromone Monitoring in the Granaries of Uzbekistan

The pheromonitoring of pest insects population was carried out in the granary conditions. The results of pheromonitoring let us detect the pest insect’s location at lowest abundance, while visual inspections are not effective, and to determine the data of effective location in granary, proportions traps and pheromone preparative dose. The aggregation pheromone of the synthetic analogue Sitophilus weevils had been carried out, according to the general procedure for preparation of aldol product. Especially for increasing attractiveness of pheromone traps, different types of food baits were tested. The results were observed with using of germinated wheat grains moisten by wheat germ oil. The corn oil was more attractive and effective for attractiveness of whole pest insects in granary. The wheat germ oil and burdock oil was preferred, as food bait, especially for weevils. The special perforated construction of the pheromone trap for pest insects usage has been developed and recommended for storage areas. In a condition of granary, successful testing of pheromone monitoring makes it possible to establish the timing and necessity of quantitative chemical treatments.

Development of a high-efficiency sex pheromone formula to control Euproctis pseudoconspersa

The tea tussock moth(Euproctis pseudoconspersa)is one of the most destructive chewing pests in tea plantations and causes a serious allergic reaction on the skin of tea plantation workers.The sex pheromone components of its Japanese population were first identified as 10,14-dimethylpentadecyl isobutyrate(10Me14Me-15:iBu)and 14-methylpentadecyl isobutyrate(14Me-15:iBu),with a stereogenic center.Only 10Me14Me-15:iBu has been identified in the Chinese E.pseudoconspersa population.However,field tests have shown that 10Me14Me-15:iBu cannot meet the demand of effective pest control in China.To develop a high-efficiency E.pseudoconspersa sex pheromone formula,electroantennogram(EAG)recordings of(S)-and(R)-enantiomers of 10Me14Me-15:iBu and 14Me-15:iBu were obtained in the present study.The results demonstrated that the EAG responses of male antennae to(R)-enantiomers were significantly higher than responses to the(S)-enantiomers,and 14Me-15:iBu also elicited EAG activity.Field tests showed that the catch numbers of male moths by(R)-enantiomers were significantly higher(P<0.05)than those of(S)-enantiomers.Addition of 14Me-15:iBu significantly increased the catch numbers of both the(S)-and(R)-enantiomers.The efficient pheromone formula containing 0.75 mg(R)-10Me14Me-15:iBu and 0.1 mg 14Me-15:iBu showed significantly higher attractiveness than commercial pheromone products.Our study demonstrated that(R)-10Me14Me-15:iBu was the major sex pheromone component of E.pseudoconspersa,and 14Me-15:iBu might be the minor sex pheromone component.Furthermore,a high-efficiency sex pheromone formula for E.pseudoconspersa control was defined in this study.

Synthesis, Characterization and Phytotoxicity Assessment of Intercalated Insect Pheromone, Lignoceric Acid-Zinc Layered Hydroxide Nanohybrid

A long chain insect pheromone for subterranean termites, LC (Lignoceric Acid), was intercalated into the inorganic interlayer, ZLH (Zinc Layered Hydroxide), resulting in the formation of a new nanohybrid, labelled as LCN (Lignocerate Nanohybrid). The formation of this inorganic-organic structure nanohybrid was synthesized by the co-precipitation method using ZnO (Zinc Oxide) as the starting material. The PXRD (Powder X-Ray Diffraction) results confirmed the intercalation process although the diffraction patterns of the resultant nanohybrid and the unbound pheromone were fairly similar but both have different basal spacings values. The FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) profiles and the chemical composition test supported the intercalation process with the percentage loading of LC into ZLH calculated to be 85%. The thermal stability of the free anion, LC was enhanced when it was transformed into LCN, increasing from 257 °C to 352 °C. The release of LC from the nanohybrid behaved in a sustained manner, governed by the pseudo-second order kinetic model with higher release of LC in sodium carbonate solution than the pH aqueous media. The synthesized nanohybrid was found to be safe for plant germination when the two seed types were successfully germinated in all the tested nanohybrid concentrations. However, the percentage seed germination and the radical seed length from the nanohybrid showed lower values compared to its counterpart anion, LC.

Sex Pheromone Components of the Female Black Cutworm Moth in China: Identification and Field Trials

The sex pheromone blend of a China strain of the black cutworm moth Agrotis ypsilon （Rottemberg） （Lepidoptera： Noctuidae） was investigated. Chemical analysis of pheromone gland extracts of 3-day-old females showed that individual isolated glands contained only very small amounts of pheromone. The high-resolution gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry （GC-MS） analysis showed the presence of Cis-7-dodecenyl acetate （Z7-12：Ac, A）, Cis-9-tetradecenyl acetate （Z9-14：Ac, B）, Cis- 11-hexadecenyl acetate （Z 11 - 16 ：Ac, C）, Cis-8-dodecenyl acetate （Z8-12：Ac, E） and Cis-5-decenyl acetate （Z5-10：Ac, D） in biologically active pheromone gland extracts. An extract of one gland from a day 3 female gave the following values for the gland components： 0.245±0.098ng for Z7-12：Ac, 0.080±0.031ng for Z9-14：Ac, 0.089±0.033ng for Z11-16：Ac, 0.085±0.031ng for Z5-10：Ac, 0.105±0.065ng for Z8-12：Ac per female. The percentages of Z7-12：Ac, Z9-14：Ac, Z11-16：Ac, Z5-10：Ac and ZS-12：Ac in pheromone gland extracts from individual females were （meaniSE） 40.451±13.66, 13.176±5.279, 14.943±5.142, 14.392±6.10 and 17.225±9.792 respectively, and the percentages of Z7-12：Ac, Z9-14：Ac and Z11-16：Ac were 58.75±9.429, 18.91±7.539 and 22.34±7.209. Field trials indicated that each single component of sex pheromone was non-effective and captured no males. The lures baited with duality compound of AB （3 ： 1） had a certain attraction to males, the mean captured number was 2.6. The attraction ability of the lures baited with ternary compound of ABC （3 ： 1 ：1） to males added significantly, the mean captured number per trap was 7.40, which was 2.8 times of duality compound of AB （3 ： 1）. The contents of sex pheromone could obviously affect its capture ability to males, the mean captured number was the highest at the dosage of 200 μg.

SYNTHESIS OF 3,7-DIMETHYL-2-TRIDECANYL ACETATE--Active Component of Sex Pheromone of Pine Sawfly Diprion pini

The total synthesis of 3,7 dimethyl 2 tridecanyl acetate,the active component of the sex pheromone of diprion pini,was investigated in this paper.The two key synthins blocks,2 methyl octan 1 yl lithium and 3,4 dimethyl γ butyrolactone,were obtained from diethyl malonate and 2,3 epoxybutane.2 Methyl octan 1 yl lithium reacted with 3,4 dimethyl γ butyrolactone to yield the ketoalcohol and then followed by Huang Minlong reduction to afford 3,7 dimethyl 2 tridecanol,acylated with acetic anhydide to give 3,7 dimethyl 2 tridecanyl acetate.

Integrated Assessment of Trapping Efficiency of Colored Sticky Cards and Sex Pheromone on Liriomyza spp.and Plutella xylostella

[Objective] To evaluate the control effect of yellow sticky cards and sex pheromone on Plutella xylostella and Liriomyza spp.,which can provide reference for large area extension of the technique.[Method] The integrated assessment of trapping efficiency of colored sticky cards and sex pheromone on Liriomyza spp.and Plutella xylostella was conducted by field surveys and structured interview in Tonghai County,Yunnan Province,China.[Result] The results showed that yellow sticky cards and sex pheromone have strong power of trapping Liriomyza spp.and Plutella xylostella（3 414±720 and（219±157） head/piece,respectively）;the control cost by the usage of pesticide is the highest,（10 099.5±2 752.5） yuan/hm^2,yellow sticky cards and sex pheromone takes the second place,（1 125.0±465.0） yuan/hm^2,the control cost by the usage of yellow sticky cards is the lowest,（450.0 ±186.0）yuan/hm^2.Without the usage of yellow sticky cards and sex pheromone,pesticide application times and costs are（15.0±2.7） times and（12 070.5±2 136.0） yuan/hm^2;combined with usage of yellow sticky cards and sex pheromone,pesticide application times and costs reduce by 5.7 times and 4 618.5 yuan/hm^2.The ratio of trapped beneficial insects and target pests was 1 ∶1 131,which showed that the negative effect of yellow sticky cards and sex pheromone on the non-target insects was very limited.[Conclusion] The trapping approach has become popular among all the local farmers.Looking at the above factors,the trapping technology has strong application prospect and promotion value in pest control field.

TASK ALLOCATION BASED ON PHEROMONE

A pheromone-based coordination approach and a prototype implementation for task allocation are pro- posed, for dealing with the static task allocation. The approach uses an indirect coordination mechanism, called pheromone, which comes from the collective behavior of ant colonies for food foraging. Therefore it can automat- ically find efficient manufacturing cells for processing tasks and reduce communication overhead, which exists in the contract net protocol. Experimental results confirm that the approach has excellent stability and optimization ability for task allocation problems in a static environment.

Identification of Female Main Component Sex Pheromones of Orthaga achatina(Lepidoptera:Pyralidae) and Their Attractiveness to Moths

[Objective] The aim is to identify the composition of female sex pheromones of Orthaga achatina and to understand the differential attractiveness of these components to Orthaga achatina moths. [Method] The pheromone glands of female moths were extracted and analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy（GC-MS）; the chemical analysis was confirmed by electroantennogram（EAG） bioassays; a field trial was conducted to confirm the optimized blends. [Result] Z11-16：Ac could elicit the largest EAG responses in male moths at all the doses tested. EAG responses to plant volatiles and to the pheromone isomers of Z11-16：Ac were at a similar level and lower than the responses to Z11-16：Ac. In the field tests, it was demonstrated that synthetic Z11-16：Ac was significantly more attractive to male O. achatina moths, that its pheromone isomers, whether these were presented alone or in mixtures with Z11-16：Ac. [Conclusion]（Z）-11-hexadecenyl acetate（Z11-16：Ac） was identified as the main component of the sex pheromone and it was demonstrated that synthetic Z11-16：Ac was significantly more attractive to male O. achatina moths.

Control of Tobacco Cutworm Moth Spodoptera litura Fabricius (Lepidoptera,Noctuidae) by Sex Pheromone Trapping Technology

[Objective] The paper was to promote using synthetic sex pheromone lures to control tobacco cutworm moth（Spodoptera litura Fabricius） .[Method] Three layers of pheromone traps for S.litura were set in the field at the density of 26 m×26 m（one trap/676 m2） to carry out field control test.[Result] The amount of egg massed reduced by 62.16% after trapping by sex pheromone under the density,and the larvae population was equivalent to those in the conventional control field with pesticides,the control effect was continuous,stable and significant.The larger the control area was,the better the effect was.[Conclusion] Using sex pheromone could effectively control S.litura and reduce pesticide usage for over 80% with economic,safe and efficient features,which should be incorporated into the technical control system of S.litura.

EAG and behavioral responses of Helicoverpa armigera males to volatiles from poplar leaves and their combinations with sex pheromone

Electroantennogram (EAG) evaluation of selected compounds from wilted leaves of black poplar, Populus nigra, showed that phenyl acetaldehyde, methyl salicylate, (E)-2-hexenal elicited strong responses from male antennae of Helicoverpa armigera. When mixed with sex pheromone (Ph), some volatiles, e.g. phenyl acetaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, phenylethanol, methylsalicylate, linalool, benzaldehyde, (Z)-3-hexenol, (Z)-3-hexenylacetate, (Z)-6-nonenol, cineole, (E)-2-hexenal, and geraniol elicited stronger responses from male antennae than Ph alone. Wind tunnel bioassay demonstrated that various volatiles could either enhance or inhibit the effect of synthetic sex pheromone. (E)-2-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenol and linalool in combination with Ph could not induce any male to land on source at all, whereas phenyl acetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, (Z)-6-nonenol and salicylaldehyde combined with Ph enhanced male response rates by 58.63%, 50.33%, 51.85% and 127.78%, respectively, compared to Ph alone. These results suggested that some volatiles shouldmodify sex pheromone caused behavior and that some of them could possibly be used as a tool for disrupting mating or for enhancing the effect of synthetic sex pheromone in the field.

Progress on Sex Pheromone Synthesis of Asian Corn Borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenee)

The progress on the components identification, synthesis methods （syn- thetic strategy of carbon chain increasing and synthetic strategy of carbon chain de- creasing） of Asian corn borer （Ostrinia fumacalis （Guenee）） sex pheromone was reviewed, which will provide a reference for the control of Asian corn borer.

A larval specific OBP able to bind the major female sex pheromone component in Spodoptera exigua(Hübner)

Odorant binding proteins （OBPs） in insects are postulated to solubilize and transport the hydrophobic odorants across the hydrophilic antennal lymph to the olfactory receptors （ORs） located on the dendrite membrane of the sensory neurons. OBPs in adult insects have been intensively reported, but those in larvae are rarely addressed. In our study, a full-length OBP cDNA, namely SexiOBP13, was cloned by RT-PCR and RACE strategy from the heads of Spodoptera exigua larvae. The quantitative real-time PCR （qPCR） measurement indicated that SexiOBP13 was highly expressed in larval head, but very low in other parts of larva and was not detected in any tissues of adult. The binding affinities of SexiOBP13 to plant volatiles and female sex pheromone components were measured by competitive binding assays. Interestingly, SexiOBP13 displayed a high binding affinity （Ki=3.82 IJmol L-1） to Z9,E12-14：Ac, the major sex pheromone component of S. exigua, while low affinities to the tested host plant volatiles （Ki〉27 μmol L-l）. The behavioral tests further confirmed that Z9,E12-14：Ac was indeed active to elicit the behavioral activity of the third instar larvae of S. exigua. Taken together, our results suggest that SexiOBP13 may play a role in reception of female sex pheromone in S. exigua larvae. The ecological significance of the larvae preference to the adult female sex pheromone was discussed.

A Facile Synthetic Method for (3Z,6Z,9S,10R)-9,10-Epoxy-3,6-heneicosadiene,Sex Pheromone Component of Hyphantria Cunea (Drug)

Total synthesis of (3Z, 6Z, 9S, 10R)-9, 10-epoxy-3, 6-heneicosadiene, sex pheromone component of Hyphantria cunea (Drug), was achieved using Sharpless AE kinetic resolution and alkylative epoxide rearrangement as key steps.

Using an Electronic Nose to Rapidly Assess Grandlure Content in Boll Weevil Pheromone Lures

Samples of pheromone lures used in boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis （Boheman）, eradication programs are routinely analyzed by Gas Chromatography （GC） to ensure lures are adequately dosed with grandlure, the synthetic aggregation phero- mone produced by male weevils. However, preparation of GC samples is tedious, time consuming, and requires a moderate level of experience. We examined the use of a commercially-available electronic nose （e-nose） for rapidly assessing the grandlure contents of lures. The e-nose was trained to recognize headspace collections of grandlure emitted from new lures and after lures were aged under field conditions for 4 d, 7 d, 10 d, and 14 d. Based on cross-validation of the training set, the e-nose was 82% accurate in discriminating among the different age classes of lures. Upon sampling headspace collections of pheromone from a different set of field-aged lures, the e-nose was 〈50% accurate in discriminating 4 d, 7 d, and 10 d aged lures from the other age classes of lures. However, the e-nose identified new and 14 d aged lure samples with 100% accuracy. In light of these findings, e-nose technology shows considerable promise as an alternative approach for rapidly assessing the initial grandlure contents of lures used in boll weevil eradication programs.

Optimization of the sex pheromone-based method for trapping field populations of Phthorimaea operculella(Zeller)in South China

Despite the identification of the potato tuber moth Phthorimaea operculella(Zeller)sex pheromone,no effective application based on this pheromone has yet been developed and evaluated.This study investigated the effect of pheromone lures,trap densities,heights of trap deployment,and pheromone doses in Yunnan,China,for the purpose of increasing the control efficiency of P.operculella and improving the application of pheromone technology in the field.The results showed that lures made of corn oil and red PVC pipes attracted the highest number of moths(11.73±1.90 per trap per day).Sex pheromone loading of 100μg was optimal for trapping moths,but higher doses of pheromone inhibited attraction.The density of traps did not affect capture rates;therefore,the optimum trap density was 30–40 traps ha^(–1).The optimum height of trap deployment was not above the height of the plant canopy.This study provides technical details necessary for the monitoring and control of potato tuber moth using sex pheromones.

Artificial Pheromone System Using RFID for Navigation of Autonomous Robots

Navigation system based on the animal behavior has received a growing attention in the past few years. The navigation systems using artificial pheromone are still few so far. For this reason, this paper presents our research that aim to implement autonomous navigation with artificial pheromone system. By introducing artificial pheromone system composed of data carriers and autonomous robots, the robotic system creates a potential field to navigate their group. We have developed a pheromone density model to realize the function of pheromones with the help of data carders. We intend to show the effectiveness of the proposed system by performing simulations and realization using modified mobile robot. The pheromone potential field system can be used for navigation of autonomous robots.

Effect of （＋）-limonene and 1-methoxy-2-propanol on Ips typographus response to pheromone blends

We compared two different strategies to increase the catches oflps typographus （L.）, particularly males, in pheromone-baited traps. The first of these strategies, the barrier approach, used alternating pheromone blends, targeting males and females respectively, in closely-spaced traps forming a barrier around forest stands. The second strategy, the single trap approach, used widely-spaced traps that were all baited with the same lure and intended to trap the highest possible numbers of males without compromising trapping of females. In the blend used for the barrier traps targeting primarily males, with a lower percentage of （4S）-cis-verbenol （cV）, the （-）-α-pinene was replaced step wise with （＋）-limonene at rates of 0%, 1%, 10%, 35%, 60% and 90%. This replacement had no significant effect on the numbers of responding 1. typographus males, but there was a slight effect on the percentage of males caught. In the attractant blend for the barrier traps targeting females, with a higher percentage of cV, the 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol （MB） was replaced with 1-methoxy-2-propanol （MP） in a similar fashion as for the male-specific blends. The replacement did not significantly affect the catch of females. Thus, it is pos- sible to use the MP in the blend with cV and ipsdienol without significant change in catch efficacy. In the blends for single traps, the （-）-α- pinene was replaced with （＋）-limonene and MB with MP. The replacement of （-）-α-pinene had only a slight effect on the percentage of males, but the results suggest that replacing MB with MP in the blend will not significantly reduce trapping efficacy.