Sex pheromone of Acrolepiopsis nagaimo Yasuda (Lepidoptera : Acrolepiidae), a predominant leafminer on Chinese yam in Tottori Prefecture: field evaluation and activity of the third component

In field tests conducted in Chinese yam fields in Tottori Prefecture of Jap an in 1998, maximum catches of Acrolepiopsis nagaimo males were obtained at ratios between 50:50 and 75 :25 (= natural ratio) when 100 mug of a binary blend of (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (Z1 1-16:Ac) and (Z)-11-hexadecenal (Z 11-16:Ald) was baited in the traps. This attractiveness was apparently enha nced when 1% to 50/;, of (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol (Z11-16:OH) was added. When 2% Z1 1-16:OH was blended the synergistic effect was apparent at high doses (greater than or equal to 100 mug/septum). The third compound Z1 1-16:OH, was therefore confirmed as a sex pheromone component. The optimum blend for male attraction was determined to be 200-1000 mug/septum of a 50: 50 : 2 b lend of Z1 1-16:Ac, Z1 1-16:Ald and Z1 1-16:OH, respectively. More than ten times as many males were captured with this blend than with two 2- to 3-d- old virgin females.