IDENTIFICATION OF VOLATILE COMPOUNDS FROM FUNGUS-INFECTED DATE FRUIT THAT STIMULATE UPWIND FLIGHT IN FEMALE ECTOMYELOIS-CERATONIAE

Four volatile compounds emitted from fungus-infected date fruit, Phoen ix dactylifera L., were identified using coupled gas chromatographic-e lectroantennographic recordings, coupled gas chromatographic-mass spec trometric analysis, electroantennographic assays of synthetic standard s, and wind tunnel bioassays. These compounds were ethyl hexanoate, et hanol, acetaldehyde, and 2-phenyrethanol. Wind tunnel bioassays showed that ethyl hexanoate was capable of stimulating upwind flight and lan ding on the source by mated female carob moths, Ectomyelois ceratoniae (Zeller). Addition of both ethanol and acetaldehyde to ethyl hexanoat e resulted in an increase in attraction to a level similar to that fou nd for date fruits. No such effect was noted for additions of 2-phenyl ethanol at the dosages tested. In this study, it appears that ethyl he xanoate is a dominant olfactory stimulant and attractant for mated fem ale carob moths, and represents a novel compound with regard to previo usly identified lepidopteran host odor attractants.