| Title: | Semiochemicals for intraspecific communication of the fig weevil Aclees sp. cf. foveatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): a first survey |
| Author(s): | Iovinella I; Pierattini EC; Bedini S; Dani FR; Guarino S; Lucchi A; Giannotti P; Cuzzupoli G; Girardi J; Conti B; |
| Address: | "Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy. Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56126, Pisa, Italy. Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56126, Pisa, Italy. stefano.bedini@unipi.it. Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources (IBBR), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Corso Calatafimi 414, 90129, Palermo, Italy" |
| DOI: | 10.1038/s41598-020-58004-8 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 2045-2322 (Electronic) 2045-2322 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "The fig tree weevil Aclees sp. cf. foveatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), introduced in Italy in 2005, is currently causing significant economic and environmental losses to fig tree nurseries and orchards in Central Italy. Fig damages are due to the adults feeding on leaves and fruits, and to the galleries dug by the xylophagous larvae in the trunk, which lead the plants to death. To date, no chemical or biological control methods resulted to be effective against this invasive pest. In order to gain information about possible semiochemicals involved in mate recognition and choice, both the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the epicuticular lipids of male and female specimens were analysed. VOCs emissions of specimens were characterized essentially by monoterpenes, while epicuticular lipids contained long chained 2-ketones, alkanes, alkenes, including some methyl alkenes, and several fatty acid propyl esters. The attractiveness of reconstituted VOCs blends of the two sexes was tested in electrophysiological and behavioural assays in laboratory conditions. Both the male and the female reconstituted VOCs drove a significant response towards individuals of the opposite sex, thus demonstrating features of sexual attractants. Our results suggest a possible application of VOCs blends as pheromonic attractants in field monitoring and mass trapping of Aclees sp. cf. foveatus" |
| Keywords: | *Animal Communication Animals Female Lipid Metabolism Lipids/chemistry Male Volatile Organic Compounds/chemistry/metabolism Weevils/*chemistry/classification/*physiology; |
| Notes: | "MedlineIovinella, Immacolata Pierattini, Erika Carla Bedini, Stefano Dani, Francesca Romana Guarino, Salvatore Lucchi, Andrea Giannotti, Paolo Cuzzupoli, Giorgio Girardi, Jessica Conti, Barbara eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2020/01/25 Sci Rep. 2020 Jan 23; 10(1):1092. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-58004-8" |
