Abstract: 【Aim】 The objective of this study is to identify the composition of female sex pheromones of the box tree moth, Diaphania perspectalis in China and to understand the the differential attractiveness of these components to D. perspectalis moths. 【Methods】 The sex pheromone extract of female calling moths of the normal form D. perspectalis was identified and analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) , and confirmed by the synthetic compound samples. The olfactory responses of D. perspectalis to sex pheromones and their isomers were investigated with electroantennogram (EAG). The field trapping tests were carried out to pinpoint the optimized blends. 【Results】 (Z)-11-hexadecenal (Z-11-16:Ald) was the major component found in the sex pheromone extract of female calling moths of D. perspectalis, (E)-11-hexadecenal (E-11-16:Ald) was the very minor component, while (Z)-11-hexadecenol(Z-11-16:OH) was not detected in all extracts. The EAG recording results revealed that the antennae of male moths of D. perspectalis had strong responses to Z-11-16:Ald, E-11-16:Ald, (Z)-9-hexadecenal (Z-9-16:Ald) and Z-11-16:OH, but had very weak responses to (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (Z-11-16:Ac) and (E)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (E-11-16:Ac) compared with to the general green leave volatile Z-3-hexenyl acetate. The EAG responses of the male moths of D. perspectalis to Z-11-16:Ald, E-11-16:Ald and Z-9-16:Ald increased dramatically with the concentration. The number of the normal form male moths of D. perspectalis attracted by single component Z-11-16:Ald showed no statistically significant difference from that by the mixture of Z11-16: Ald and E-11-16:Ald in the field tests. However, the single component Z-11-16:Ald showed no attractiveness to the melanic form male moths of D. perspectalis , but showed attractiveness when E-11-16:Ald was added. The highest number of melanic form male moths of D. perspectalis was attracted by the mixture Z-11-16:Ald:E-11-16:Ald at the ratio of 250 μg:250 μg, and the mixture Z-11-16:Ald:E-11-16:Ald at the ratio of 400 μg:100 μg and 429 μg:71 μg were also attractive to the normal form male moths of D. perspectalis. Z-11-16:Ald was strongly attractive to male moths of Mythimna separata, but this attractivity was suppressed by E-11-16:Ald.【Conclusion】Z-11-16:Ald is the major component of pheromone for the normal form of D. perspectalis moths in China. E-11-16:Ald might play a minor synergistic role and the species specificity in D. perspectalis sex pheromone blend. There is some difference in the olfactory responses of sex pheromone between the normal form and the melanic form male moths of D. perspectalis. The sex pheromone of the melanic form of D. perspectalis has a component close to that in Japan, which is the mixture of Z-11-16:Ald:E-11-16:Ald with the ratio of 1:1, and E-11-16:Ald is required for the attractiveness of the pheromone mixture.

Key words: Diaphania perspectalis, Mythimna separata, melanic form, sex pheromone, species specificity, field trapping