Sexual Behavior of the Sugarcane Hairy Borer, Hyponeuma taltula (Lepidoptera: Erebidae): Evidence for a Female-Released Sex Pheromone

Autor(es)

Triana, M. F. ^[1] ; Nogueira, A. S. P. C. ^[1] ; Franca, P. H. B. ^[2] ; Costa, J. G. ^[3] ; Goulart, H. F. ^[2] ; Santana, A. E. G. ^[2]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Fed Alagoas, Chem & Biotechnol Inst, Maceio, Alagoas - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Alagoas, Agr & Engn Sci Campus, Av Lourival Melo Mota S-N, BR-57072970 Maceio, Alagoas - Brazil

^[3] Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros, Aracaju - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Neotropical Entomology; v. 49, n. 5, p. 739-744, OCT 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

The sugarcane hairy borer, Hyponeuma taltula (Schaus, 1904), attacks the base of sugarcane and causes the death of the apical bud, a symptom known as ``dead heart.{''} In recent years, there has been significant infestation in Brazilian sugarcane crops. With the purpose of finding methods for controlling and/or monitoring the pest for the sustainable cultivation of sugarcane, we characterized the mating behavior of H. taltula and confirmed the release of a sex pheromone by this insect. Sexual activity was observed between the second and ninth hour of scotophase, during which female calling caused the onset of male courtship behaviors and increased their frequency. An ethogram was built showing that males perform seven observable steps: (1) wing flapping, (2) walking with wing flapping, (3) flying, (4) flying towards the female, (5) landing near the female and walking around her, (6) attempting copulation, and (7) copulation (mating). Female sex gland extracts also triggered attraction and male courtship behaviors. These results thus confirm that the female abdominal gland produces a sex pheromone and that the presence of this pheromone in the air is needed to initiate the male courtship sequence. The sexual behavior of H. taltula is compatible with control and/or monitoring methods using female sex pheromones. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 14/50871-0 - INCT 2014: Instituto Nacional de Ciência Tecnologia de Semioquímicos na Agricultura
• Beneficiário: José Roberto Postali Parra
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático