Olfactory responses of banana pseudostem weevil, Odoiporus longicollis Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to semiochemicals from conspecifics and host plant

Electroantennogram and olfactometer bioassays were conducted to study the olfactory behaviour of banana pseudostem weevil (BSW), Odoiporus longicollis Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), to semiochemicals from conspecifics and host plants. Hexane extracts of whole-body chemicals of male and female...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current science (Bangalore) 2008-04, Vol.94 (7), p.896-900
Main Authors: Prasuna, A. L., Jyothi, K. N., Prasad, A. R., Yadav, J. S., Padmanaban, B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aggregation
Coleoptera
Curculionidae
Female animals
Hexanes
Host plants
Leaf sheaths
Male animals
Musa
Pheromones
Pseudostems
RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
Weevils
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Electroantennogram and olfactometer bioassays were conducted to study the olfactory behaviour of banana pseudostem weevil (BSW), Odoiporus longicollis Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), to semiochemicals from conspecifics and host plants. Hexane extracts of whole-body chemicals of male and female weevils, host plant (banana pseudostem sheath) and combinations of weevil extracts and host plant extracts were used as stimuli or odour source in both electrophysiological and behavioural tests. BSW weevils exhibited sex-specific differences in responsiveness towards stimulus extracts in both the assays and males showed greater responsiveness in all the experiments. Female weevils were not responsive to their own body extracts, but showed significant responses towards male extracts. Male weevils were responsive to both male and female extracts. The present study provides electrophysiological and behavioural evidence that the olfactory behaviour in O. longicollis weevils is more precisely mediated through the male specific volatiles (aggregation pheromone). These findings also provide necessary information for developing an ecologically safe semiochemical-based control method for O. longicollis.
ISSN:0011-3891