Kairomones for monitoring navel orangeworm populations

Host plant volatiles as semiochemicals can be a practical option for the control or monitoring of agricultural insect pests. Host plant volatiles, either individually or as a blend of components, can be used as attractants or as response-enhancer for synthetic pheromone components. Additionally, with the increased use of pheromone components or blends in mating disruption studies, the utilization of host plant volatiles as a monitoring tool within the mating disruption treated orchards offers an additional powerful tool for growers. 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 (Amyelois transitella) in almond orchard field trapping studies. Developing fungal spores, ubiquitous to almond and pistachio orchards, produced two of the components within this synthetic blend. Presented will be the use of the semiochemicals produced by fungal spores and their potential role in developing effective host plant volatile blends in tree nut orchards.