Project title : Role of the Norway Spruce volatile substances upon Ips typographus and Ips duplicatus bark beetles response to aggregative pheromones

Acronym: SUVMOFIPS

Period of the project: august 2010 – july 2012;

Thematic areas: Forest Protection, Chemoecology;

Funder: Unitatea Executivă pentru Finanţarea Învăţământului Superior şi a Cercetării Ştiinţifice Universitare (UEFISCSU)

Project identification:
contract no. 204/28.07.2010
project code: PD_563
project type: PN2 - Human Resources - Postdoctoral Research

Project summary: Ips typographus and Ips duplicatus bark beetles identify the breeding material based on chemical signals released by the spruce trees (kairomonal signals) and the individuals of the same species (pheromone signals).

Among volatiles characteristic to spruce, the monotherpenes seem to have an essential role in primary attraction (kairomonale) of the bark beetles, quantity and range being determinant to the election of the favorable trees. Also, the bark beetle response to pheromone signal may be influenced by kairomonal signal characteristics (spectrum and intensity).

The project will study how Ips typographus adults respond to different combinations of monoterpenes (alpha-pinene and limonene) and aggregative synthetic pheromone. For Ips duplicatus the study will focus on the effect of natural volatiles (especially fresh cut timber) on adult response to synthetic pheromones and the effect of the different combinations of aggregate and monoterpene pheromone alpha-pinene, limonene and myrcene (synthetic products).

For the both species, the method combines a constant pheromone signal and a variable kairomonal signal. Expanding the existing knowledge regarding the interaction between bark beetles and spruce trees is necessary for understanding the behavior of these species of insects, and to develop new ways for detection and monitoring of the scolytidae populations.