BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE OF MALES OF Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) TO VIRGIN FEMALE EXTRACT

Abstract

The high costs related to the management of Spodoptera frugiperda have required alternative and sustainable methods of control, with emphasis on sex pheromones, volatile compounds that promote communication between insects, especially at the time of copulation and which can be used to monitor, control and mating disruption of lepidopteran pests. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the response of S. frugiperda males to pheromones glands extract of females of this specie. Twenty males aged between 1-5 days and 10% aqueous honey solution were used. The extract was obtained from the mechanical dissection of 74 virgin females with1-3 days old. To analyze the behavioral response, a “Y” type glass olfactometer with double choice was used. In one arm of the “Y”, a filter paper impregnated with 30 µL hexane (control treatment) was allocated and in the other, 30 µL of the female extract. S. frugiperda males were observed individually for 20 minutes with the aid of a flashlight wrapped with 6 layers of red cellophane paper. The conducted bioassay showed that 45% of the males remained in the olfactometer main tube (negative response), with eventual antenation and wing flapping; 40% of the individuals moved towards the female extract (positive response), with high agitation and antenation and; 15% of males were attracted to hexane (control treatment). These results indicate that there was bioactivity of the extract, however, the age variability of the tested males possibly influenced for 45% of negative response. Therefore, further studies aimed at understanding the olfactory response of S. frugiperda males, as well as bioassays concerning the confirmation of the biological activity of gland extracts, are recommended in order to facilitate the isolation and synthesis of the sex pheromone.