Identification of a female-produced sex pheromone from the southern corn rootworm,Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber

Abstract
A sex pheromone has been isolated and identified from virgin females of the southern corn rootworm (SCR),Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber. The synthesized compound, 10-methyl-2-tridecanone was shown to be attractive to males of the SCR, and also to males ofD. u. undecimpunctata Mannerheim, the western spotted cucumber beetle (WSCB), and ofD. u. duodecimnotata in Mexico. Males of both the SCR and the WSCB strongly preferred theR over theS enantiomer. The resolved enantiomers were not tested againstD. u. duodecimnotata.