Nikola Đukić1, Goran Andrić2, Robert Glinwood3, Velemir Ninkovic4, Boban Andjelković5, Andja Radonjić1. 1. University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, Nemanjina 6, 11080, Belgrade, Serbia. 2. Institute of Pesticides and Environmental Protection, Banatska 31b, 11080, Belgrade, Serbia. 3. Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7043, S-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden. 4. Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, S-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden. 5. University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, Studentski trg 16, 11000, Beograd.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) movement in stored products is mediated by food volatiles and other semiochemicals. RESULTS: In 2-way olfactometer assays, T. castaneum was more attracted to wheat bran previously infested with conspecifics than to uninfested bran. Chemical analysis showed that 1-pentadecene was present in the headspace of T. castaneum infested wheat bran, but not detectable in the headspace of uninfested bran. An olfactometer was used to test the effect on T. castaneum behavior of 1-pentadecene, and of volatiles from wheat bran with and without 1-pentadecene. The lowest concentration of 1-pentadecene exhibited an attractive effect, compared to the control (n-hexane). Slightly higher concentrations showed a neutral effect, while the highest concentrations repelled T. castaneum. Wheat bran with a low 1-pentadecene concentration was more attractive than wheat bran alone, whereas higher concentrations of 1-pentadecene were repellent. CONCLUSION: The results provide important information on intraspecific, semiochemical-mediated behaviour in T. castaneum, which could potentially be used to develop new methods to monitor the flour beetles in stored products. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
BACKGROUND: The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) movement in stored products is mediated by food volatiles and other semiochemicals. RESULTS: In 2-way olfactometer assays, T. castaneum was more attracted to wheat bran previously infested with conspecifics than to uninfested bran. Chemical analysis showed that 1-pentadecene was present in the headspace of T. castaneum infested wheat bran, but not detectable in the headspace of uninfested bran. An olfactometer was used to test the effect on T. castaneum behavior of 1-pentadecene, and of volatiles from wheat bran with and without 1-pentadecene. The lowest concentration of 1-pentadecene exhibited an attractive effect, compared to the control (n-hexane). Slightly higher concentrations showed a neutral effect, while the highest concentrations repelled T. castaneum. Wheat bran with a low 1-pentadecene concentration was more attractive than wheat bran alone, whereas higher concentrations of 1-pentadecene were repellent. CONCLUSION: The results provide important information on intraspecific, semiochemical-mediated behaviour in T. castaneum, which could potentially be used to develop new methods to monitor the flour beetles in stored products. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.