Attraction of pea mothCydia nigricana F. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) to female sex pheromone (E,E)-8,10-dodecadien-1-YL acetate, is inhibited by geometric isomersE,Z, Z,E, andZ,Z.

Field attraction ofCydia nigricana males to synthetic female sex pheromone (E,E)-8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate, formulated on red rubber septa, declined continuously during two weeks. This was due to isomerization of (E,E)-8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate: eight days after application of purifiedE,E isomer, the proportion ofE,Z;Z,E; andZ,Z isomers in rubber septa aged in the laboratory was 4%; a 5% addition of any one of these isomers to fresh lures of (E,E)-8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate significantly reduced male attraction. Stereospecific syntheses of (E,Z)-, (Z,E)-, and (Z,Z)-8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate are described. The pheromone gland ofCydia nigricana contains 0.8 ng/female of (E,E)-8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate, accompanied by three monounsaturated acetates, (E)-9-dodecen-1-yl acetate, (Z)-5-tetradecen-1-yl acetate, and (Z)-7-tetradecen-1-yl acetate (0.1 ng/female each). These compounds did not augment male trap catch when added to (E,E)-8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate.