Effect of synthetic and plant-extracted aphid pheromones on the behaviour of Aphidius colemani

0371594 - ÚVGZ 2013 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Ameixa, Olga - Kindlmann, Pavel
Effect of synthetic and plant-extracted aphid pheromones on the behaviour of Aphidius colemani.
Journal of Applied Entomology. Roč. 136, č. 4 (2012), s. 292-301. ISSN 0931-2048. E-ISSN 1439-0418
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0073; GA MŠMT LC06073
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60870520
Keywords : (E)-b-farnesene * Aphidius colemani * Nepeta cataria oil * synthetic nepetalactone
Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour
Impact factor: 1.560, year: 2012

Parasitoid females use several chemical cues to locate hosts. A better knowledge of how they respond to a complex of these cues in a small range may help us to understand how to manipulate the parasitoids in the field. Here, the response of the aphid parasitoid Aphidius colemani to a mixture of odours of synthetic and plant-extracted nepetalactone (a component of aphid sex pheromone) and to (E)-β-farnesene (aphid alarm pheromone) was investigated. The behavioural responses of A. colemani to three semiochemical groups with different concentrations were studied in a square arena. Parasitoid females were significantly attracted by the semiochemicals, when their concentrations were high, in which case the females spent more time in squares with semiochemicals. The majority of females preferred plant-extracted nepetalactone, when it was in high concentration, but they consistently did not respond to (E)-β-farnesene.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0205074