Identification of the chemical constituents of volatiles emitted by hosts and non-hosts of forest insect pests is essential to understanding the role of these compounds in host seeking and selection. Collecting volatiles in situ at the time when the insect is actively searching for suitable host material should provide more biologically relevant data. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is an ideal technique for obtaining profiles of the compounds potentially perceived by the insect. The usefulness of the technique is demonstrated by our work with the non-indigenous brown spruce longhorned beetle, Tetropium fuscum (Coleoptera:Cerambycidae), recently found established in Halifax, NS, Canada. Identification of cortical volatiles, including their enantiomeric composition, from red spruce trees which had been attacked by the beetle was the basis for the development of a lure found to be effective in field trials in 2001. Volatiles profiles obtained in 2002 from red and Norway spruce of different provenances and geographical locations will be presented.
Species 1: Coleoptera Cerambycidae Tetropium fuscum (brown spruce longhorned beetle)
Keywords: SPME, plant-insect interactions
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