Chem. Senses 24: 423-428,
1999
© Oxford University Press 1999
Actographic Analysis of the Effects of an Esterase Inhibitor on Male Moth Responses to Sex Pheromone
INRA Unité de Phytopharmacie et Médiateurs Chimiques, Route de Saint Cyr, F-78026 Versailles, France 1 SYNTECH VDP Laboratories, PO Box 1547, 1200 BM Hilversum, The Netherlands and 2 Department of Biological Organic Chemistry, CID (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18–26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
Correspondence to be sent to: Dr Michel Renou, INRA Unité de Phytopharmacie et Médiateurs Chimiques, Route de Saint Cyr, F-78026 Versailles, France. e-mail:renou{at}versailles.inra.fr
The effects of 3-octylthio-1,1,1-trifluoropropan-2-one (OTFP), a trifluoromethyl ketone that inhibits antennal esterases, on male Mamestra brassicae responses to the main pheromone component have been investigated using an actograph. This actograph used a movement detector based on the Doppler effect. The signal from the detector was digitalized and analysed on a PC microcomputer to quantify male activity. When added to the air flowing through the observation chamber, OTFP inhibited the responses of male moths to the pheromone. The number of males responding to the pheromone and the intensity of the response were decreased by OTFP. The latency of the response was increased and its duration decreased. These effects on the kinetics of the behavioural response cannot be directly correlated to the inhibition of pheromone catabolism by OTFP and other targets must be involved. The high level of inhibition of behaviour observed in presence of OTFP demonstrates the interest of trifluoromethyl ketones as mating disruption agents for pest control.