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ViewAttendees 5

10-Minute Paper

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

P-IE: Ecology

Development of a semiochemical repellent for protecting spruce trees from spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis, in the Rocky Mountains and Alaska

Sunday, November 5, 2023
1:54 PM – 2:06 PM ET
Location: Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor 10
In-Person
Spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is the most significant pest of mature spruce trees (Picea spp.) in North America. Notable spruce beetle outbreaks are on-going in several western states. Here we present our efforts to evaluate the efficacy of the antiaggregation pheromone 3-methyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one (MCH) in a proprietary release technology (SPLAT®) with additional, non-host volatiles. Experiments were conducted on Englemann spruce, Pi. engelmannii, in Utah and Colorado, and on Lutz’s spruce, Pi. lutzii, in Alaska. Semiochemical combinations were tested on baited trees and efficacy was measured by comparing spruce beetle colonization activity and levels of tree mortality. Additionally, we established tenth acre radial plots around treated trees and recorded colonization activity on and mortality of all spruce on the corresponding plots. SPLAT® MCH and Acer kairomone blend (AKB) and SPLAT® MCH and acetophenone plus two green leaf volatiles (Plus) consistently performed the best. Results across several experiments and future directions are discussed.