Evaluation of the sex-pheromone for monitoring populations of Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

• Grant number: 23/00610-5
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - Brazil
• Start date: April 01, 2023
• End date: March 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: José Maurício Simões Bento
• Grantee: José Maurício Simões Bento
• Visiting researcher: Evaldo Ferreira Vilela
• Visiting researcher institution: Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV). Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Brazil
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/02317-5 - Center for Excellence in Biological Control, AP.PCPE

Abstract

The sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis, is the main pest of sugarcane crops in Brazil. Due to most of its life cycle occurring inside the sugarcane stalk, efficient and low-cost sampling methods are unavailable, and insecticide control is inefficient. In this sense, semiochemicals, such as sex-pheromones, can be an essential strategy for monitoring and controlling this pest. Therefore, this project aims to identify the sex-pheromone of D. saccharalis and provide a commercial synthetic formulation. (AU)