Project Number: 5320-22430-021-12
Project Type: Trust

Start Date: Jun 25, 2007
End Date: Jun 26, 2009

Objective:
Identify the active components of the sex pheromone for O. sacchari, 2) Synthesize the pheromone and validate attractiveness in lab and field, 3) determine seasonal pattern of O. sacchari in dracaena, pineapple and coffee planting, and 4) determine optimal timing of control based on pheromone-based trapping data.

Approach:
Our approach is to collect authentic pheromone from live `calling¿ females and/or clipped abdominal tips and using headspace collection and or tip extraction to identify the chemicals present using GC-MS. Electrophysiological studies will be employed to identify active constituents using GC-EAD on male moth antenna. Those with activity will be tested and formulated for activity against the putative pheromone in a flight tunnel bioassay and if possible in the field. Next, the pheromone will be synthesized and pheromonal-based lures used to conduct field evaluations. Specifically, we would like to correlate moth capture to field populations and damage levels in the different cropping systems unique to Hawaii. Lastly, we hope to use pheromone trap capture as a predictive tool to assess the timing of control tactics. Documents Trust Agreement with Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture. Log 32462.