Olfactory Behavior and Electroantennographic Responses of the Cocoa Beetle, Steirastoma breve (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Authors

  • Carmen Liendo
  • Franklin Morillo
  • Pedro Sanchez
  • Wilfredo Munoz
  • Jeronimo Guerra
  • Aivle Cabrera
  • Jose V. Hernandez

Abstract

With the aim of studying the olfactory behavior of one of the main pests in neotropical cocoa plantations, the cocoa beetle Steirastoma breve (Sulzer) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), we studied behavioral and antennal responses towards different odor sources in a two-choice olfactometer and an electroantennographic system, respectively. Odor sources tested as stimuli in olfactometric experiments were chopped pieces of cocoa branches, adult males, adult females of S. breve, and combinations of these. Extracts of female and male body parts in n-hexane were tested in electroantennnographic experiments. Statistically significant attraction responses in the olfactometer were observed only when S. breve individuals were stimulated with odors from pieces of cocoa branches. Both sexes showed active EAG responses to odors of cocoa branches, and females showed active EAG responses to adult male odors. These results suggest that olfactory behavior of S. breve is mediated by volatiles derived from cocoa trees and from adult male insects.

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Published

2005-06-01

Issue

Vol. 88, No. 2 (June 2005)

Section

Literature Review Articles

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