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(E)‐8‐Dodecenyl acetate: Major component of the female sex pheromone of a Macadamia nut borer, Ecdytolopha torticornis
Author(s) -
Chamberlain David J.,
Beevor Peter S.,
Cork Alan,
Hall David R.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1046/j.1570-7458.2003.00035.x
Subject(s) - greenwich , archaeology , geography , geology , soil science
Costa Rica is the fourth largest exporter of macadamia nuts, Macadamia integrifolia Maiden and Betche (Proteaceae), behind the USA, Australia and Kenya (Rosa & Kirby, 1994). Two thousand five-hundred hectares were planted in 1967 and a further 5000 ha in 1993, principally in the Province of Limon. The nuts are harvested by hand with the peak of production between July and October (Gonzales & Chacon, 1986). Attacks by an unidentified Lepidopterous nut borer began to be reported in macadamia orchards from the late 1980s with damage in isolated areas as high as 30%, although at the time, control with insecticides was not considered necessary (D.J. Chamberlain, unpubl.). Initially, the insect responsible for this damage was thought to have been Cryptophlebia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae), a pest of macadamia prevalent in Malawi (La Croix et al., 1985). However, traps baited with lures containing blends of compounds attractive to both C. leucotreta (Persoons et al., 1977) and the related Cryptophlebia batrachopa (Meyrick) (Hall et al., 1984; La Croix et al., 1985) failed to catch any moths in the macadamia orchards. This paper describes the results of preliminary work undertaken to identify the pest species causing the damage and to develop a pheromone-baited trap for monitoring its population dynamics.