A Chemical Approach to Obtaining α-copaene from Clove Oil and Its Application in the Control of the Medfly

Abstract

The Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) fruit fly pest has been widely ecologically controlled by means of using attractant substances. This study supports the idea that α-copaene, a naturally occurring substance found in numerous plants, might be used as a semiochemical to control this pest. The possibility of obtaining this natural compound in abundant quantities may reveal its potential use in integrated pest management. The main goal of this study was to demonstrate, on a small scale, how the extraction of clove oil by fractional distillation and other laboratory-assisted techniques can facilitate the obtaining of abundant amounts of α-copaene for its use in the control of the medfly. As a result, the male attraction of α-copaene isolated from clove oil was confirmed to be 5–6 times higher than commercial trimedlure. In its field projection, five distilled fractions with an α-copaene content of less than 10% were shown to have from a quarter to half of the attractive power exerted by trimedlure on males. It can be concluded that the use of selected distilled fractions of α-copaene can be enough to obtain large quantities of this compound to be applied successfully in ecological programs to lure medflies.