Attractant Effect of Eucalyptus globulus (Labill) and Foeniculum vulgare (Mill.) Essential Oils on Aegorhinus superciliosus (Guerin) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

摘要

Currently, the use of essential oils for behavioral manipulation of insects is being investigated for its potential application in integrated pest management programs. Thus, we identified the chemical composition of Eucalyptus globulus (Labill) and Foeniculum vulgare Mill. essential oils and evaluated its effect on the Aegorhinus superciliosus behavior, an important fruit tree pest in the south of Chile. The oils were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and then were evaluated in olfactometric bioassays in order to establish whether they have any effect on the insect behavior. Finally, we determined the electrophysiological activities associated with behavior studies using electroantennography. The GC-MS analysis indicated the presence of 17 compounds from eucalyptus oil being its major constituent's eucalyptol (63.6%) and alpha-pinene (18.9%). For fennel oil, 16 volatile constituents were identified, being anethole (50.8%), estragole (19.5%), and fenchone (11.1%) the dominant compounds. The olfactometric bioassays revealed that eucalyptus oil was attractive for both sexes of A. superciliosus whereas fennel oil was only attractive to the females (P <= 0.05). The main compounds, eucalyptol and anethole, were attractive to females (P <= 0.05) and electrophysiologically active for both sexes of the insect. In conclusion, the components attractive identified in the present study could be the starting point for the development of effective attractant lures for controlling the raspberry weevil in southern Chile.