(Z,E)-9,12-Tetradecadien-1-Ol: A Major Sex Pheromone Component of Euzophera pyriella (Lepidoptera: Pyralididae) in Xinjiang, China

The moth Euzophera pyriella (Lepidoptera: Pyralididae) is one of the important fruit pests in the pear orchards of Xinjiang, China. Extracts from the sex pheromone gland of virgin female moths were analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Two components, (Z)-8-Dodecenyl acetate (Z8-12:Ac) and (Z,E)-9,12-Tetradecadien-1-ol (Z9E1214:OH), were identified in extracts. Z9E12-14:OH was the most active in electroantennogram (EAG) and field attraction studies. Z8-12:Ac and other common components identified in Euzophera (including Z9-14:Ac, Z9-14:OH and Z9E12-14:Ac) neither elicited significant EAG responses nor attracted many males in field tests. Binary mixtures of Z9E12-14:OH and Z8-12:Ac in different ratios were active in field tests, but the number of male moths trapped did not differ between these binary mixtures and Z9E12-14:OH alone. We conclude that Z9E12-14:OH is a major component of the female sex pheromone of E. pyriella and could be used as an attractant for monitoring the populations of this moth species.