The windtunnel technique
Author of the article:LI Jing-Jing1 HUANG Cui-Hong2 ZHOU Lin1 YAN Feng-Ming1**
Author's Workplace：(1. College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China;2. Shunde Polytechnic College, Guangdong 528333, China
Key Words： windtunnel, insect behaviors, experimental procedures, infochemicals
Abstract： The windtunnel is an important tool for bioassays of the effects of infochemicals on insect behavior and can be used to improve lures and traps by testing suitable concentrations or component ratios of infochemicals. Windtunnels allow the testing of infochemicals under controlled laboratory conditions prior to their application in the field. All necessary preparations should be made before a windtunnel test, and the parameters to be observed and recorded should determined based on the type of chemical to be tested; i.e. insect sex pheromones or plant allelochemicals. In this paper, detailed procedures for the windtunnel tests are provided and two examples of the use of windtunnels to test insect pheromones and plant volatiles are given. Differences between the windtunnel testing and olfactometer assays, and the advantages and shortcomings of using windtunnels, as well as their maintenance, are discussed.