Development of a synthetic plant volatile based attractant for female noctuid moths: II. Bioassays of synthetic plant volatiles as attractants for the adults of the cotton bollworm, 'Helicoverpa armigera' (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

This paper reports olfactometer studies to determine the attractiveness of synthetic equivalents of plant volatiles to 'Helicoverpa armigera' (Hübner) moths. Synthetic volatiles identified from host plants and other volatiles reported in literature as attractants to various noctuid species were tested in a two-choice olfactometer. Of 34 single chemicals tested, only seven were significantly attractive, and six were significantly repellent. However, when presented as blends of two or more volatiles, 21 of 31 blends tested were significantly attractive, and only one was significantly repellent. The most attractive blends were those containing four to six components, including aromatic volatiles primarily found in flowers, especially 2-phenylethanol and phenylacetaldehyde and volatiles found primarily in leaves, including green leaf volatiles and terpenoids. Some general principles in blending volatiles for developing attracticides for 'H. armigera' are presented, including the need for blend complexity, the combination of volatiles from leaves and flowers, and early consideration of pragmatic factors such as price and toxicological profile.