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EP-4734763-A1 - COMPOSITIONS, METHODS AND DEVICES FOR CONTROL AND MONITORING INSECTS

EP4734763A1EP 4734763 A1EP4734763 A1EP 4734763A1EP-4734763-A1

Abstract

The present invention provides a composition for attracting Carpophilus truncatus beetles, wherein the composition preferably includes one or more pheromone compounds produced by a male beetle of the species Carpophilus truncatus . The present invention also relates to kits, methods and apparatus for attracting, trapping and monitoring for Carpophilus truncatus beetles.

Inventors

  • FARNIER, Kevin Roland Robert
  • CUNNINGHAM, JOHN PAUL
  • MADGE, DAVID

Assignees

  • Agriculture Victoria Services Pty Ltd
  • Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240628

Claims (20)

  1. THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. A composition for attracting Carpophilus truncatus beetles, the composition comprising 3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene or a geometric isomer thereof and one or more C 6 - C 16 aldehydes.
  2. 2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the 3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8- undecatetraene is (E,E,E,E)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene.
  3. 3. The composition according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the one or more C 6 -C 16 aldehydes is a saturated aldehyde.
  4. 4. The composition according to claim 3, wherein the one or more C 6 -C 16 aldehydes is selected from tetradecanal, hexanal and nonanal.
  5. 5. The composition according to claim 4, wherein the one or more C 6 -C 16 aldehydes is tetradecanal.
  6. 6. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 further comprising a dimethyl pyrazine.
  7. 7. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6 further comprising an antioxidant.
  8. 8. The composition according to claim 7, wherein the antioxidant is selected from butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), butylated hydroxyanisol (BHA), tocopherols, ascorbic acid and citric acid.
  9. 9. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 8 further comprising a carrier.
  10. 10. The composition according to claim 9, wherein the carrier is a non-polar hydrocarbon.
  11. 11. A dispenser comprising the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10.
  12. 12. The dispenser according to claim 11 which allows sustained release of the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10.
  13. 13. The dispenser according to claim 12 comprising a septum, resin or inert polymer beads, granules, pellets or strips.
  14. 14. The dispenser according to claim 13 comprising a septum.
  15. 15. An apparatus comprising a composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10 or a dispenser according to any one of claims 11 to 14 and a housing for trapping Carpophilus truncatus beetles.
  16. 16. An apparatus according to claim 15 further comprising one or more of: one or more co-attractant compounds; an insecticide; a receptacle for containing trapped beetles; and a lid for the receptacle that allows entry of the beetles into the receptacle.
  17. 17. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein one or both of the following applies: a. the receptacle for containing trapped beetles is transparent; b. the lid for the receptacle is green.
  18. 18. A kit comprising the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10 or the dispenser according to any one of claims 11 to 14 and a trapping device.
  19. 19. The kit according to claim 18 further comprising one or more of: one or more co-attractant compounds; and an insecticide.
  20. 20. The apparatus according to claim 16 or 17 or the kit according to claim 19, wherein the co-attractant compounds are selected from C 1 -C 6 alcohols, C 1 -C 4 aldehydes, an indole and C 1 -C 12 esters.

Description

COMPOSITIONS, METHODS AND DEVICES FOR CONTROL AND MONITORING INSECTS Field of the Invention The present invention relates to devices, compositions, and methods for insect control, more particularly the present invention relates to multicomponent compositions used in combination with apparatus for releasing said composition, and devices employing said composition for attracting, trapping and/or monitoring insects, more particularly Carpophilus truncatus beetles. Background of the Invention Carpophilus truncatus is a major pest of almonds, causing significant damage to developing kernels. Current “Attract and Kill” strategies to control this pest rely on a lure composed of (i) beetle aggregation pheromone (produced by adult males of stone fruit attacking Carpophilus beetles) combined with (ii) a microbe-derived synthetic food attractant. Carpophilus truncatus has also recently been identified as a pest in other nuts including walnuts and pistachio nuts. Pheromones and analogues have previously been synthesized and identified in the 1990s for various Carpophilus species; however, the pheromones of Carpophilus truncatus have not been well studied (Bartelt et al.1990, 1992; Bartelt 2010). Further, existing lures developed to control stone fruit attacking Carpophilus beetles are not as effective against C. truncatus. Common problems in the development of control strategies for Carpophilus beetles include trap type, trap placement, type of food-related odours, pheromones and formulations used in traps, and lure/attractant longevity, with emission rates of some key attractants dropping off in some instances within a day after lure deployment in the field. Also, targeting of specific beetle species is problematic with generalised compositions not achieving the desired specificity and showing a reduced efficacy in protection of a crop (Bartelt 2010). As such, there exists a need to overcome, or at least alleviate, one or more of the difficulties or deficiencies associated with the prior art. Summary of the Invention In one aspect, the present invention provides a composition for attracting Carpophilus truncatus beetles, the composition comprising 3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene or a geometric isomer thereof and one or more C6-C16 aldehydes. By the term ‘composition’ as used herein is meant a mixture of components which may be in the form of a solid, liquid, gas, vapour, gel or any other suitable phase mixture thereof. The geometric isomer of 3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene may be selected from the group consisting of: (2E,4E,6E,8E)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2E,4E,6E,8Z)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2E,4E,6Z,8E)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2E,4Z,6E,8E)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2Z,4E,6E,8E)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2E,4E,6Z,8Z)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2E,4Z,6E,8Z)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2Z,4E,6E,8Z)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2E,4Z,6Z,8E)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2Z,4E,6Z,8E)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2Z,4Z,6E,8E)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2E,4Z,6Z,8Z)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2Z,4E,6Z,8Z)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2Z,4Z,6E,8Z)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2Z,4Z,6Z,8E)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene, (2Z,4Z,6Z,8Z)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene. In a preferred embodiment, the 3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene is (E,E,E,E)-3,5,7- trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene. In some embodiments, the composition does not include (2E,4E,6E,8E)-7-ethyl-3,5-dimethyl- 2,4,6,8-decatetraene. In one embodiment, the one or more C6-C16 aldehyde is a saturated aldehyde. In another embodiment, the one or more C6-C16 aldehyde is a straight chain aldehyde. In yet another embodiment, the one or more C6-C16 aldehyde is a straight chain, saturated aldehyde. In a preferred embodiment, the one or more C6-C16 aldehyde is selected from hexadecanal, pentadecanal, tetradecanal, tridecanal, dodecanal, undecanal, decanal, nonanal, octanal, heptanal and hexanal, especially tetradecanal, hexanal and nonanal, most especially tetradecanal. In some embodiments, the ratio of 3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene and C6-C16 aldehyde, especially (E,E,E,E)-3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene and tetradecanal, is one that results in emission of a 2:1 to 1:5 ratio of 3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene and C6-C16 aldehyde, especially a 2:1 to 1:2 ratio and more especially about a 1:1 ratio of 3,5,7- trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene and C6-C16 aldehyde. In some embodiments, the ratio of the 3,5,7-trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene and C6-C16 aldehyde in the composition is 2:1 to 1:5, especially 1:1 to 1:4, more especially 1:2 to 1:4 or 1:3 to 1:3.5 and most especially about 1:3.3. Compositions comprising one of these ratios may result in emission of a 1:1 ratio of 3,5,7- trimethyl-2,4,6,8-undecatetraene and C6-C16 alde