Development of a semiochemical-based trapping technique for efficient control of Odoiporus longicollis Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The banana stem weevil, Odoiporus longicollis Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an important economic insect pest of bananas throughout the world. In this study, several important volatile substances were analysed to develop a semiochemical-based trapping technique for the control of O. longicollis. Electroantennogram responses of both sexes were associated with electroantennogram-active compounds (1-hexanol, 1-heptanol, cis-3-Nonen-1-ol, methyl jasmonate, and terpenoids such as (–)-linalool, (+)-(1R)-α-pinene, (–)-(1S)-α-pinene, and 1,8-cineole) and then were analysed using a Y-tube olfactometer. The results revealed that only methyl jasmonate and 1-hexanol elicited strong behavioural responses in O. longicollis. These two semiochemicals and the host plant extract were evaluated individually and in a mixture for their efficiencies in attracting O. longicollis in order to develop a semiochemical-based trapping technique. The methyl jasmonate + host plant extract and 1-hexanol + host plant extract mixtures captured more weevils (> 3.5 times) than the host plant extract alone did in both high- and low-altitude regions. The captured weevils were female-dominated, with a mean sex ratio of 1:1.29 (males:females). This is the first report on the use of methyl jasmonate or 1-hexanol and the host plant extract as a potential attractant in mass trapping and managing O. longicollis.