For the past five decades the polyphagous navel orangeworm (Amyelois transitella) has been a major insect pest of California almond and pistachio orchards, which suffer substantial economic damage due to both physical and associated fungal damage caused by navel orangeworm larvae. Until recently, the only viable option, albeit inconsistent, for monitoring navel orangeworm populations within these orchards has been the use of almond meal in egg traps. Over the past several years a synthetic blend of host plant volatiles, based on various almond emissions, has demonstrated effective attractancy of both male and female navel orangeworm in field trapping studies in almond orchards. However, this attractiveness does not extend into the mid- to late-season in pistachio orchards, thus suggesting either an orchard specificity of the moth or perhaps a temporal component expressed as a change in background odors of the orchard. Using information and approaches learned during the development of the almond host plant volatile blend, research within these laboratories has focused on the volatile emissions from various pistachio matrices to ascertain potential semiochemicals capable of attracting navel orangeworm moths in pistachio orchards. Ubiquitous fungal spores have played a significant role in the production of navel orangeworm semiochemicals. Discussed will be the relationship of the navel orangeworm, its hosts, and the emission of volatiles from fungal spores.

An old approach to a new discovery of an effective host plant volatile-based attractant for a major insect pest

248th National Meeting (2014)

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