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Behavioural and Electrophysiological Responses of Female Anopheles gambiae Mosquitoes to Volatiles from a Mango Bait

Okumu, FO; Tripet, F; Bruce, T; Sobhy, IS; Roberts, JM; Meza, FC

Behavioural and Electrophysiological Responses of Female Anopheles gambiae Mosquitoes to Volatiles from a Mango Bait Thumbnail


Authors

FO Okumu

F Tripet

IS Sobhy

JM Roberts

FC Meza



Abstract

Attractive Toxic Sugar Baits (ATSB) are used in a "lure-and-kill" approach for management of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, but the active chemicals were previously unknown. Here we collected volatiles from a mango, Mangifera indica, juice bait which is used in ATSBs in Tanzania and tested mosquito responses. In a Y-tube olfactometer, female mosquitoes were attracted to the mango volatiles collected 24-48 h, 48-72 h and 72-96 h after preparing the bait but volatiles collected at 96-120 h were no longer attractive. Volatile analysis revealed emission of 23 compounds in different chemical classes including alcohols, aldehydes, alkanes, benzenoids, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and oxygenated terpenes. Coupled GC-electroantennogram (GC-EAG) recordings from the antennae of An. gambiae showed robust responses to 4 compounds: humulene, (E)-caryophyllene, terpinolene and myrcene. In olfactometer bioassays, mosquitoes were attracted to humulene and terpinolene. (E)-caryophyllene was marginally attractive while myrcene elicited an avoidance response with female mosquitoes. A blend of humulene, (E)-caryophyllene and terpinolene was highly attractive to females (P < 0.001) when tested against a solvent blank. Furthermore, there was no preference when this synthetic blend was offered as a choice against the natural sample. Our study has identified the key compounds from mango juice baits that attract An. gambiae and this information may help to improve the ATSBs currently used against malaria vectors.

Acceptance Date Mar 16, 2020
Publication Date Apr 9, 2020
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Journal of Chemical Ecology
Print ISSN 0098-0331
Publisher Springer Verlag
Pages 387-396
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-020-01172-8
Keywords malaria vector, kairomone, attractant, mango, terpenoids
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-020-01172-8

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