Pheromone mating disruption of the pine sawfly Neodiprion sertifer : is the size of the treated area important?
Author
Summary, in English
Few attempts to control forest insects by means of pheromone mating disruption have
been reported. The first such experiments with the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer
(Hymenoptera: Diprionidae), resulted in nearly complete trap catch reduction, but no effects on
population density or sex ratio were noted. Unmated females lay eggs, which develop into males
only. Therefore, if mating disruption would be successful, a more male-biased sex ratio is
expected the next generation. One possible explanation for the early results is that mated females
disperse into the treated area, and thus obscure the effects of the treatment. In order to reduce the
effect of such immigrating females, the treated area was increased in the experiment described
here from the earlier used 0.5 – 4 ha to 25 ha. The acetate of erythro-3,7-dimethyl-2-
pentadecanol was used for disruption and released from dispensers every 10 m. The influence on
male orientation was monitored by pheromone traps, baited with the acetate of (2S,3S,7S)-3,7-
dimethyl-2-pentadeanol and placed at 100 m interval along two perpendicular, 1500 m lines
intersecting the treated area. The trap catch reduction was near 100% during the first month, but
then declined to around 90% during the second month. Mating frequencies were checked by
comparing the sex ratio of the next generation from within and outside the treatment area. No
effect of the treatment on the sex ratio was detected, and the frequency of mated females could be
assumed to be independent of treatment. Alternative hypotheses to explain the failure of
pheromone mating disruption in N. sertifer are discussed.
been reported. The first such experiments with the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer
(Hymenoptera: Diprionidae), resulted in nearly complete trap catch reduction, but no effects on
population density or sex ratio were noted. Unmated females lay eggs, which develop into males
only. Therefore, if mating disruption would be successful, a more male-biased sex ratio is
expected the next generation. One possible explanation for the early results is that mated females
disperse into the treated area, and thus obscure the effects of the treatment. In order to reduce the
effect of such immigrating females, the treated area was increased in the experiment described
here from the earlier used 0.5 – 4 ha to 25 ha. The acetate of erythro-3,7-dimethyl-2-
pentadecanol was used for disruption and released from dispensers every 10 m. The influence on
male orientation was monitored by pheromone traps, baited with the acetate of (2S,3S,7S)-3,7-
dimethyl-2-pentadeanol and placed at 100 m interval along two perpendicular, 1500 m lines
intersecting the treated area. The trap catch reduction was near 100% during the first month, but
then declined to around 90% during the second month. Mating frequencies were checked by
comparing the sex ratio of the next generation from within and outside the treatment area. No
effect of the treatment on the sex ratio was detected, and the frequency of mated females could be
assumed to be independent of treatment. Alternative hypotheses to explain the failure of
pheromone mating disruption in N. sertifer are discussed.
Department/s
Publishing year
2002
Language
English
Pages
111-116
Publication/Series
IOBC/WPRS Bulletin
Volume
25
Issue
9
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Links
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Monfavet
Topic
- Biological Sciences
- Zoology
Status
Published
Project
- Chemical communication in sawflies
Research group
- Pheromone Group
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1027-3115