SEX-PHEROMONE OF THE SUGARCANE SHOOT BORE R, TETRAMOERA-SCHISTACEANA SNELLEN (LEPIDOPTERA, TORTRICIDAE, OLETHREUTINAE) - ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION

The structure of the sex pheromone of the most important sugarcane pes t, sugarcane shoot borer, Tetramoera schistaceana SNELLEN (Lepidoptera : Olethreutinae) was determined to establish an integrated method of c ontrolling this pest. The sex pheromone was extracted from the abdomin al tips of virgin females. Using laboratory bioassay in a small flight tunnel, two active components of the sex pheromone were isolated. The major and minor components were identified as (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate and (E)-9,11-dodecadienyl acetate, respectively. The major component alone had no attractivity but a mixture of the two components showed s trong activity in sugarcane fields. The sex pheromone of T. schistacea na was determined to be a 100:1 mixture of (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate and (E)-9,11-dodecadienyl acetate. The synergist increasing the attractiv ity of the sex pheromone was (E)-7,9-decadienyl acetate. The best form ulation for the sex attractant was a mixture of the two pheromone comp onents and the synergist at a ratio of 100:10:1.