Biology of a putative male aggregation-sex pheromone in Sirex noctilio (Hymenoptera: Siricidae)
Loading...
Date
Authors
Guignard, Quentin
Bouwer, Marc Clement
Slippers, Bernard
Allison, Jeremy D.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Public Library of Science
Abstract
A putative male-produced pheromone has recently been described for the global pest of
pines, Sirex noctilio, but field-activity has not been demonstrated. This study aimed to investigate
the pheromone biology of S. noctilio in more detail. Specifically, we i) analysed effluvia
and extracts for additional compounds by gas chromatography coupled with electro-antennographic
detection (GC-EAD), mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and two dimensional time of
flight mass spectrometry (GC X GC TOF MS), ii) conducted dose-response experiments for
putative pheromone components, iii) determined the site of synthesis/ storage of the putative
pheromone and iv) determined the release rate of the putative pheromone from males
and three types of lures. A blend of four compounds was identified, including the previously
described (Z)-3-decenol and (Z)-4-decenol, and two new compounds (Z)-3-octenol and (Z)-
3-dodecenol. All compounds elicited a response from both male and female antennae, but
the strength of the response varied according to sex, compound and dose tested. (Z)-3-
Decenol and (Z)-3-octenol at lower and higher doses, respectively, elicited larger responses
in males and females than the other two compounds. (Z)-3-Octenol and (Z)-4-decenol generally
elicited larger female than male antennal responses. The site of synthesis and/or storage
in males was determined to be the hind legs, likely in the leg-tendon gland. The relative
release rate of the major compound by male wasps was shown to be 90 ± 12.4 ng/min,
which is between 4 and 15 times greater than that observed from typical lures used previously.
These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that these compounds may
mediate lek formation in S. noctilio males and lek location in females.
Description
S1 Fig. Three dimensional chromatogram showing the two co-eluting peaks (A and B) eluting
in the tail of the large major chromatographic peak released by males. The best tentative
match for peak A was (Z)-3-decenol and peak B was (Z)-4-decenol in the NIST library.
S2 Fig. Antennal recovery (in %) 30, 45 and 60 sec after 10 000 ng of (Z)-3-decenol puffed (n = 3 males and 3 females). Different letters indicate significant differences of the recovery time.
S2 Fig. Antennal recovery (in %) 30, 45 and 60 sec after 10 000 ng of (Z)-3-decenol puffed (n = 3 males and 3 females). Different letters indicate significant differences of the recovery time.
Keywords
Sirex noctilio, Antennae, Compounds, Pheromone biology, Gas chromatography coupled with electro-antennographic detection (GC-EAD), Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Two dimensional time of flight mass spectrometry (GC X GC TOF MS)
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Guignard Q, Bouwer M, Slippers B,
Allison J (2020) Biology of a putative male
aggregation-sex pheromone in Sirex noctilio
(Hymenoptera: Siricidae). PLoS ONE 15(12):
e0244943. https://DOI.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244943.