Sex pheromone of tomato fruit borer, Neoleucinodes elegantalis

Five candidate pheromone components were identified by analyzing pheromone gland extracts by gas chromatography (GC, coupled GC-electro-antennographic detection (EAD), and coupled GC-mass spectrometry (MS): (E)-1 1-hexadeceno l(E1 1-16: OH), (Z)-11-hexadecenol (ZI 1- 16: OH), (E)-11-hexadecenal, (E)- 11-hexadecenyl acetate, and, (Z)-3,(Z)-6,(Z)-9-tricosatriene (Z3,Z6,Z9-23: Hy). In electroantennogram (EAG) recordings, synthetic El I 16: OH elicited stronger antennal responses at low doses than other candidate pheromone co mponents. Field tests demonstrated that synthetic El 1-16: OH as a trap bai t was effective in attracting males, whereas addition of ZI 1-16: OH inhibi ted the males' response. Z3,Z6,Z9-23: Hy strongly enhanced attractiveness o f El 1-16: OH, but was not attractive by itself. A pheromone blend with syn ergistic behavioral activity of an alcohol (El 1- 16: OH) and hydrocarbon ( Z3,Z6,Z9-23 : Hy) component is most unusual in the Lepidoptera. The synthet ic two-component pheromone is approximately 60 times more attractive than t he female-produced blend and might facilitate the control of this pest.