Comportamento reprodutivo, extração e identificação do feromônio sexual da broca pequena da cana-deaçúcar, Diatrea flavipennella, Box, 1931 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Abstract

The reproductive behavior, extraction and identification of the sex pheromone of Diatraea flavipennella, was investigated by means of behavioral bioassays and chemical analysis by GC-EAD and GC x GC-TOF-MS. The results showed that calling females showed the following behaviours: opening wings, antennae laterally directed upwards, lifting and tilting the abdomen with exposure of pheromone-producing gland. On the other hand, the behavior exhibited by coespecific male is: oriented flight, opening the wings and claspers, landing on the back of the female abdomen, genital contact and copulation followed by subsequent 180° body turn. Copulation time averaged 100,5 min. ± 18,16 min. Females started calling activity at the second hour of the scotophase and continued for a 10-h period. The maximal calling activity was observed at the nineth hour of the scotophase in 2-3 days-old virgin females. Females of D. flavipennella mated only once. The results from GC-EAD and GC x GC-TOF-MS analyses of the virgin females extracts showed that the sex pheromone mixture is composed of oxygenated and unsaturated compounds in the proportions of 3:1. This mixture elicited in D. flavipennella males a behaviour similar to the one they showed in the presence of a live co-specific female.