Constituents of Commiphora Rostrata and Some of their Analogues as Maize Weevil, Sitophilus Zeamais Repellents
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Date
1992-10-01
Authors
Hassanali, A.
Lwande, W.
Mcdowell, P. G.
Moreka, L.
Nokoe, S. K.
Waterman, P. G.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Abstract
The major alkanone constituents of the resin of Commiphora rostrata, 2-decanone and 2-undecanone, and a series of structural analogues were bioassayed for their repellency against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais in olfactometric assays. All the aliphatic ketones and aldehydes showed comparable or greater activity than the synthetic commercial insect repellent N, N-diethyl toluamide (DEET). In the 2-alkanone series the C-8 and C-9 compounds demonstrated significantly higher activity than their shorter- and longer-chained congeners. Analogues differing in the relative positions of the carbonyl group, including aldehydes, showed a variable pattern of repellency. Alkanols appeared to be mildly attractive to the weevil. The results support our previous suggestion that the resin constituents may play an allomonal role in the ecosystem where the plant thrives.
Description
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S174275840000789X
Keywords
Citation
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science / Volume 13 / Issue 05 / October 1992, pp 679-683