Sex attractant pheromone of damson-hop aphid Phorodon humuli (Homoptera, aphididae)

Behavioral studies using an olfactometer demonstrated that sexual females (oviparae) of the damson-hop aphid,Phorodon humuli, release a pheromone to which males respond. Volatiles produced by the oviparae were analyzed by coupled gas chromatography-single cell recording from the secondary rhinaria on the male antenna and showed the presence of one peak with major activity. Coupled gas chrornatography-mass spectrometry suggested a nepetalactol, which was shown to have the 4aR, 7S, 7aS stereochemistry by synthesis from the corresponding nepetalactone isolated from the labiate plantNepeta mussinii. Although the stereochemistry at carbon-1 is not yet established, a synthetic sample comprising ca. 70% 1S and 30% 1R attracted highly significant numbers of males to water traps placed within and adjacent to a hop garden. Initial studies also indicated attraction of males in both the olfactometer and in the field by volatiles from the primary host.