Navel Orange Worm(NOW) and Pine Processionary Moth(PPM)

Navel orangeworm(NOW) or Amyeloistransitella which belongs to LepidoteraPyrralidea family of insects is an exotic pest that feeds on a variety of fruit and nuts, including citrus.

(Image of Adult Larve& Moth)

The insect is a serious pest forsome nut crops like Almonds and Pistachios as well as Walnuts, Figs &Pomegranates.It also grazes on citrus fruits, causing surface scarring that allows decay-causing organisms to enter the fruit. This reduces fruit quality and causes fruit drop, damaging farmers commercially. Damage level can be 30% to 70% of total crop. It also induces fungal infection in nuts causing carcinogenic Aflatoxin formation. It makes nut unfit for human consumption.

To get good quality nuts and fruits in good yield we need to control growth of this Navel Orange Worm moth(NOW). It can be controlled in modern ways of sustainable farming with the use of non-toxic Insect pheromones instead of pesticides which cause immense damage to environment.For control of Navel Orange Worm(NOW), main pheromone(NOWlure) ingredient used for mating disruption of insect is

11z,13z-Hexadecadien-1-al

Alongwith this ingredientsometimes,11z,13z-Hexadecadien-1-ol

and 11z,13z-Hexadecadien-1-ylAcetate

are also used in small quantities.

To make this 11-Dodecyn-1-ol is key intermediate

(CAS No.18202-10-3)

This same intermediate can be used to make pheromone for Pine Processionary Moth (PPM) Thoumetopoeapityocampa. This moth is most destructive for pine and Cedar trees. It causes sever defoliation which can kill tree. Main ingredient of Pitiyolureis z,13-Hexadecen-11-yn-1-yl Acetate