Abstract

The pine weevil is one of the most important pest insects of conifer reforestation areas in Europe. Female pine weevils cover their eggs with chewed bark and feces (frass) resulting in avoidance behavior of feeding conspecifics towards egg laying sites. It has been suggested that microorganisms present in the frass may be responsible for producing deterrent compounds for the pine weevil. The fungi Ophiostoma canum, O. pluriannulatum, and yeast Debaryomyces hansenii were isolated from aseptically collected pine-weevil frass. The isolated fungi were cultured on weevil frass broth and their volatiles were collected by SPME and identified by GC MS. D. hansenii produced methyl salicylate (MeS) as a major compound, whereas, in addition, O. canum and O. pluriannulatum produced 6-protoilludene. In a multi-choice lab bioassay, MeS strongly reduced pine weevil's attraction to the Pinus sylvestris volatiles. Thus, a fungal metabolite was found that strongly affects the pine weevil host-odor search. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The British Mycological Society. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Antifeedant; Blue stain fungus; Chemical communication; Debaryomyces hansenii; Frass; Hylobius abietis; Methyl salicylate; Ophiostoma; Pine weevil

Published in

Fungal Ecology
2015, Volume: 13, pages: 103-111
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD

SLU Authors

• Terenius, Olle

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Nordlander, Göran

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Nordenhem, Henrik

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss


UKÄ Subject classification

Organic Chemistry
Behavioral Sciences Biology
Ecology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funeco.2014.08.009

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/68392