Heliothis spp.:1 Disruption of Pheromonal Communication with (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol Formate2

In small field plots, (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-o1 formate (Z-9-tdf) alone was highly disruptive of pheromonal communication between male and female corn earworms, Heliothis zea (Boddie), and male and female tobacco budworms, H. virescens (F.). Z-9-tdf was not disruptive of pheromonal communication between males and females of several species of looper moths including Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), and T. oxygramma (Geyer). In contrast, (Z)-7-dodecen-1-o1 acetate (Z-7-dda) was an effective disruptant of pheromonal communication of the looper moths, but did not affect male H. zea or H. virescens . However, when Z-9-tdf was mixed with Z-7-dda in equal quantities and evaporated into the air simultaneously in the same plot, the pheromonal communication of all 5 species was disrupted. These compounds are stable, relatively inexpensive, and commercially available. They appear to offer promise for control of mating in these important species, and they have potential as multichemical disruptants in broad spectrum control via atmospheric permeation.