SEX-PHEROMONE COMPONENTS OF THE APPLE-LEAFMINER, LYONETIA-PRUNIFOLIELLA

Three methylated hydrocarbons, 10,14-dimethyloctadec-1-ene (10Me14Me-1 -ene-18Hy = 5Me9Me-17-ene-18Hy), 5,9-dimethyloctadecane (5Me9Me-18Hy), and 5,9-dimethylheptadecane (5Me9Me-17Hy), are synergistic sex pherom one components of the leafminer Lyonetia prunifoliella. Compounds extr acted from female pheromone glands were identified by coupled gas chro matographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD), and one compound , 10Me14Me-1-ene-18Hy also by coupled GC-mass spectrometry. In field t rapping experiments, 10Me14Me-1-ene-18Hy 5Me9Me-18Hy, and 5Me9Me-17Hy singly were unattractive to males but in ternary combination attracted numerous male moths. Attractiveness of the three-component blend sign ificantly exceeded that of two-component blends. No attraction of male s to pheromone lures without 10Me14Me-1-ene-18Hy indicates that this c ompound is essential for pheromone communication of L. prunifoliella. Common C-5 and C-9 methyl branches in lyonetiid pheromone hydrocarbons suggest a common biosynthetic pathway; the presence of 5Me9Me-17Hy an d 5Me9Me-18Hy in pheromone blends of L. prunifoliella and Leucoptera m alifoliella provides evidence for phylogeny of lyonetiid chemical comm unication. Determination of the stereoisomeric composition is required to completely describe the pheromone blend of L. prunifoliella and to support the hypothesis of phylogenetically related sex pheromones.