
Japanese Honeysuckle Fragrances Could Help
Control Moth PestsBy Hank Becker November 26, 1999Natural compounds released by
flowers of the Japanese honeysuckle could give scientists a new arsenal of
tools to monitor or combat a variety of moth pests. Many species of Lepidopteran moths such as corn earworm and cabbage looper
are crop pests during their larval, wormlike stage. Each year, these pests cost
U.S. farmers nearly $2 billion in losses and chemical control costs. In many
areas, these pests have become resistant to conventional insecticides and
natural controls such as Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. Agricultural Research Servicescientists at the South
Central Agricultural Research Laboratory, Lane, Okla., have discovered and
patented volatiles from the flowers of night-blooming Japanese honeysuckle,
Lonicera japonica. These compounds are effective attractants for a variety of
important adult moth pests. The ARS scientists also found that cis-jasmone, alone or with other floral
volatiles from the honeysuckle flowers--particularly linalool and
phenylacetaldehyde--attract both sexes of these insect pests. Currently, most moth monitoring systems use sex pheromones as baits for one
gender--usually male pests. To attract both sexes, the honeysuckle volatiles
could be combined with the sex pheromones or other agents such as feeding
stimulants or insect toxins. Recently, ARS signed a cooperative research and development agreement with
Trécé, Inc., Salinas, Calif.,
to study and test the honeysuckle compounds as the basis for safer and more
effective strategies for controlling and monitoring moth pests. Trécé scientists will analyze the compounds and develop
formulations for commercially monitoring and controlling a broad range of moth
pests. ARS and Trécé will work together to screen the formulas
and evaluate final selections in field tests. ARS is the chief research agency of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture. Scientific contact: Sam D. Pair, ARS South
Central Agricultural Research Laboratory, Lane, Okla., phone (580) 889-7395,
fax (580) 889-5783, [email protected]. U.S. Department of Agriculture | |