Abstract: 【Aim】 Megalurothrips usitatus is an important leguminous pest in South China and has caused enormous losses to cowpea planting industry. Development and application of lures based on aggregation pheromone is one of the environmentally friendly control methods for M. usitatus, which would play a key role in bio-control of this pest. 【Methods】 Behavioral responses of female and male adults of M. usitatus to headspace volatiles collected from female and male conspecifics were tested in a Y-tube olfactometer. Headspace volatiles released by female and male adults were collected using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and hexane extraction. The active compound in the volatiles and hexane extracts was identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The behavioral responses of female and male adults to the synthetic aggregation pheromone component were tested in a Y-tube olfactometer. 【Results】 Behavioral results showed that both male and female adults of M. usitatus were attracted to the odors released by conspecific males but not those released by females. The volatiles from female and male adults could be extracted by both SPME and hexane extraction, but the extraction with SPME was more effective and suitable. GC-MS analysis showed that there was one major compound ［(E,E)-farnesyl acetate］ in the headspace volatiles from male adults, and this compound was absent from the headspace volatiles from female adults. Olfactometer results showed that both male and female adults showed significant preference to synthetic (E,E)-farnesyl acetate at certain doses. 【Conclusion】 This study confirmed the presence of aggregation pheromone in M. usitatus male adults and identified its active compound as (E,E)-farnesyl acetate, providing a basis for population monitoring and control of M. usitatus using aggregation pheromone.

Key words: Megalurothrips usitatus, aggregation pheromone, olfactory response, compound identification, (E,E)-farnesyl acetate