What is it about?
Methyl eugenol (ME) as a very potent attractant to many species of fruit fly pests, especially the Oriental fruit fly. It is a precursor to the production of male sex pheromone. Orchid flowers that release ME attracts fruit fly males to perform pollination. In the fruit fly -orchid association, the orchid flowers are pollinated and the the fruit fly males gain mating benefits.
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Why is it important?
Methyl eugenol is being used as bait for detection, surveillance and mass trapping of fruit fly pest species. It is also used to prevent or eradicate invasive pest species. The abundance of plant species that contain the chemical can be a good source of the fruit fly attract for control, eradication or pest management programs.
Perspectives
The presence of large natural sources of methyl eugenol might interfere with fruit fly detection, surveillance and control programs. On the contrary, a large scale or area-wide control program of fruit fly pest species may lead to limitation of fruit fly males that are pollinators for many species of orchids.
Dr. Keng-Hong Tan
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Methyl Eugenol: Its Occurrence, Distribution, and Role in Nature, Especially in Relation to Insect Behavior and Pollination, Journal of Insect Science, April 2012, Oxford University Press (OUP),
DOI: 10.1673/031.012.5601.
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