Improvement in the Efficacy of Sex Pheromone of Yellow Stem Borer Scirpophaga incertulas Walker, with Co-attractants and Plant Extracts
The studies conducted at the Directorate of Rice Research (DRR) to know the antennal response of male YSB using Electroantennograph (EAG) and Taichung native (TN1) plant extracts revealed a definite influence in eliciting greater moth response with 1.24 and 1.16mv antennal deflection with 30’and 60 day old seedlings respectively and meager 0.37mv with solvent alone. The plant extracts in solvents methanol and hexane produced significantly highest antennal deflection (1.64 and 1.22, v respectively) and lowest response was recorded in dichloromethane (0.85mv). Maximum response over EAG was recorded with Pusa Basmati plant extract in methanol in combination with 3:1 pheromone blend of (Z) 11-hexadecenal and (Z) 9-hexadecenal, respectively with a response of 1.61mv closely followed by Pusa Basmati plant extract in hexane added to 3:1 pheromone blend (1.29mv), which were on par and superior over 3:1 pheromone blend alone in combination with other plant extracts.