Oviposition substrate location by the invasive woodwasp Sirex noctilio : The combined effect of chemical cues emitted by its obligate symbiont Amylostereum areolatum and different host‐tree species

MASAGUÉ, S.; FERNÁNDEZ, P. C.; DEVESCOVI, F.; SEGURA, D. F.; VEGA, G. J. DE LA; CORLEY, J. C.; VILLACIDE, J. M.; MARTÍNEZ, A. S.

PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

Año: 2023

1526-498X

BACKGROUNDSirex noctilio is an invasive forest wasp that affects pines and can result in severe economic losses. The use of semiochemicals offers an opportunity to develop sensitive and specific capturing systems to mitigate negative impacts. Previous research showed that female S. noctilio would use volatiles emitted by its fungal symbiont, Amylostereum areolatum, but little is known about how these modulate behaviour when combined with pine-wood emissions. Our aim was to understand the relevance of fungal volatiles grown on artificial media and wood from two hosts trees, Pinus contorta and P. ponderosa, on behavioural and electroantennographic responses of wasp females. Because background odors can modify an insect′s response towards resource-indicating semiochemicals, we propose that the behavior towards the symbiont (resource) will be modulated by host pine emissions (background odors).RESULTSOlfactometric assays showed that both host species with fungus were attractive when contrasted against air (P. contorta vs Air, ꭓ2 = 12.19, p