Estragole Analogues as Attractants for Corn Rootworms (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract
Adults of two closely related corn rootworms, Diabrotiea barberi Smith and Lawrence and D. virgifera virgifera LeConte, are strongly attracted to two naturally occurring phenylpropanoids, eugenol and estragole respectively. The close chemical relationship of these two kairomones suggested that structure-activity studies of estragole analogues as rootworm attractants would be profitable. During the summers of 1986 and 1987, evaluations of 21 chemical compounds related to estragole revealed several exceptional attractants: 4-methoxycinnamaldehyde and 4-methoxycinnamonitrile for D. v. virgifera, cinnamyl alcohol for D. barberi, and cinnamaldehyde for the southern corn rootworm, D. undecimpunctata howardi Barber.