The expansion of sugarcane plantations in Brazil and the discarding of vinasse into the sugarcane field have been speculated to contribute to the growing population of the billbug Sphenophorus levis. This beetle attacks the root system and forms galleries in rhizomes, causing damage or even the death of host plants. It has been suspected that vinasse, a residue from ethanol production, can release volatiles that are attractive to the insect; however, no study has addressed this hypothesis so far. The aim of this study was to investigate the attractiveness of vinasse to S. levis adults and identify the volatile compounds released by this substance using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). We found that vinasse was more attractive to S. levis than sugarcane stems, molasses and wastewater under laboratory conditions, but not than cane stems at field conditions. Our GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of primary alcohols, terpenes and organic carboxylic acids in vinasse. When a mixture of the commercial synthetic compounds identified in the chemical analysis was tested in the laboratory, a strong attraction of the insects to the mixture was observed. Our results help to explain how vinasse can contribute to the infestations of S. levis in sugarcane fields and shed new light on the development of strategies to control this pest using chemical attractants.

据推测，巴西甘蔗种植园的扩张以及将酒糟丢弃到甘蔗田中，这有助于使臭bug Sphenophorus levis的种群不断增长。这种甲虫会攻击根系并在根茎上形成长廊，从而导致寄主植物受损甚至死亡。据怀疑，酒糟是乙醇生产中的残留物，会释放出对昆虫有吸引力的挥发物。但是，到目前为止，尚无研究解决该假设。本研究的目的是调查酒糟到吸引力S. levis的成人和识别由使用气相色谱-质谱（GC-MS）该物质释放的挥发性化合物。我们发现vinasse对Levis S. levis更具吸引力比在实验室条件下的甘蔗茎，糖蜜和废水要多，但在田间条件下则不如甘蔗茎。我们的GC-MS分析表明，酒糟中存在伯醇，萜烯和有机羧酸。当在实验室中测试在化学分析中鉴定的商业合成化合物的混合物时，观察到昆虫对混合物的强烈吸引。我们的研究结果有助于解释酒糟如何可以向侵扰S. levis的蔗和发展战略，新的见解，以控制使用化学引诱这种害虫。