Identification of Iranian Population of Fall Webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae)

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
Malahat Mojarab-Mahboubkar 1
Jalal Jalali Sendi 2
Nosrat O. Mahmoodi 3
1 Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht 416351314, Islamic Republic of Iran.
2 1. Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht 416351314, Islamic Republic of Iran. 2. Department of Silk Research, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Islamic Republic of Iran.
3 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Guilan, Rasht, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Abstract
The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury), is a globally invasive polyphagous defoliator, recognized as a destructive pest of both agricultural and non-agricultural plants. This study aimed to identify and characterize sex pheromone compounds in H. cunea as a potential foundation for sustainable pest management. The pheromone glands of H. cunea virgin females were dissected and extracted in hexane, followed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the glandular extracts. Four compounds were identified as putative sex pheromone components: (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, (Z,Z)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester, (Z)-9-octadecenoic acid methyl ester, and octadecanoic acid methyl ester. The identified compounds represent preliminary candidates for the sex pheromone of the Iranian population of H. cunea, serving as a foundation for pheromone-mediated control strategies. Wind tunnel bioassays demonstrated that a synthetic quaternary blend of the identified compounds, formulated in a 4:2:2:3 ratio, elicited significant attraction in male H. cunea. Field trials corroborated these findings, with the optimized blend effectively luring males under natural conditions. The identification of this attractive sex pheromone blend enables the development of targeted strategies for monitoring and suppressing H. cunea populations, offering a promising tool for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs.


Keywords
Field trapping
Sex pheromone
Wind tunnel bioassay
Subjects
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Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
Volume 28, Issue 4
July and August 2026
Pages 935-950