The Biosynthetic Pathway of (Z)-11-Hexadecenal, the Sex Pheromone Component of the Rice Stem Borer, Chilo sappressalis WALKER (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Abstract

The sex pheromone of the Rice stem borer, Chilo sappressalis WALKER (Lepidptera: Pyralidae), (Z)-11-Hexadecenal, was biosynthesized by feeding experiments with possible deuterized precursors and tested by a GC-SIM analysis of the pheromone component. The pathway commenced by hexadecanoic acid being reduced to the hexadecanal, from which (Z)-11-hexadecenal was biosynthesized by the introduction of a double bond.