Pine volatiles and terpenoid compounds attractive to European xylophagous species, vectors of Bursaphelenchus spp. nematodes

The attractiveness of different combinations of volatile compounds to several scolytid and cerambycid species, potential vectors of phytoparasitic nematodes of the genus Bursaphelenchus Fuchs, was investigated in pine woods of central Italy. The blend composed of [alpha]-pinene, ethanol, ipsenol, ipsdienol and 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol was very efficient in trapping the cerambycids Monochamus galloprovincialis, Acanthocinus griseus and Arhopalus syriacus and the scolytids Ips sexdentatus, Orthotomicus erosus and Hylurgus ligniperda. This blend is proposed for operational surveys of Bursaphelenchus spp. associated with these beetles. Comparison of the capture levels with cross-vane and funnel traps baited with [alpha]-pinene, ethanol, ipsenol, ipsdienol, 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol and cis-verbenol revealed the higher efficacy of the cross-vane traps for the above-mentioned cerambycids and the scolytid I. sexdentatus but greater effectiveness of the funnel traps in capturing H. ligniperda and O. erosus. Cross-vane traps were more efficient in capturing large numbers of these insects. Data on non-target xylophagous beetles and predator species are also reported.