<p>The large pine weevil, Hylobius abietis L., is a major insect pest on conifer seedlings in northern Europe. Due to its feeding newly planted trees get girdled, resulting in high seedling mortality (up to 80%). As a consequence great financial losses to the forest industry occur. Today the seedlings are protected with the pyrethroid insecticide cypermethrin. This insecticide is toxic to aquatic organisms and is, from 2010, prohibited for use in Sweden by the Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate. An alternative to insecticides is to protect the seedlings with antifeedants, compounds that, either through taste or smell or both, deter the weevils from feeding. This thesis describes the search for and the synthesis of such antifeedant compounds.</p><p>Bark extracts of several woody species, known to be non-palatable to the weevil, were prepared and found to display antifeedant activity against H. abietis. The major chemical constituents of the extracts were tested for antifeedant activity. Antifeedants such as eugenol, 2-phenylethanol and benzylalcohol, but also feeding stimulants such as β-sitosterol and linoleic acid, were identified. An extract of linden bark, Tilia cordata, was shown to contain nonanoic acid, a highly active antifeedant. Other aliphatic carboxylic acids were also found to display high antifeedant activities against the weevil, both in laboratory and in field tests.</p><p>The enantiomers of dihydropinidine, a piperidine alkaloid present in several conifer species, were prepared by dimethylzinc mediated allylation of 2- methyltetrahydropyridine-N-oxide. When tested in micro feeding assays, no difference in antifeedant activity was found for the enantiomers. In a field test high antifeedant activity, comparable with that of the presently used insecticide cypermethrin, was found for (±)-dihydropindine. Other naturally occurring piperidine alkaloids were synthesised and also found to display high antifeedant activities in laboratory tests.</p><p>Structure-activity relationships were evaluated for methoxy substituted benzaldehydes, benzoic acids and cinnamic aldehydes, -acids, -esters and -alcohols. While the carboxylic acids were inactive or even feeding stimulants, the aldehydes were the most active antifeedants</p>

Vid föryngring ger markberedning en bra förutsättning för plantan att överleva och växa, och med mindre risk för snytbaggeangrepp. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur snytbaggeskydd och olika markberedningsmetoder långsiktigt påverkar stamantal, medelhöjd och volymproduktion hos gran (Picea abies). Markberedningsmetoderna som jämfördes var högläggning, fläckmarkberedning och inversmarkberedning. De jämfördes med att inte markbereda alls. Hälften av plantorna var behandlade mot snytbagge med permetrin, dessa var jämt fördelade i försöket. Studien genomfördes i en försöksyta 9284, vid SLU:s försökspark i Siljansfors, Mora kommun. Beståndet var 17 år när det mättes (16 år efter plantering) hösten 2018. Då mättes trädens höjd, diameter samt grönkronans höjd. Volym beräknades med volymfunktioner. Högläggning, inversmarkberedning, och fläckmarkberedning (i nu nämnd ordning) och snytbaggeskydd gynnade granplantornas volymtillväxt, gav flest stammar samt högst höjd. Att högläggning och inversmarkberedning var så framgångsrika i detta försök beror troligen på att marken i Siljansfors är näringsfattig och fuktig. Hög planteringspunkt ökar risken för en planta att torka. Permetrinbehandling hade en positiv effekt på volymen och stamantalet, dock var det ingen signifikant skillnad vad gäller höjden. Markberedning samt permetrinbehandling ger bestående långsiktiga resultat för produktionen. / In regenerations, soil preparation provides good conditions for plants to survive and grow, and reduces the risk of damage by pine weevil (Hylobius abietis). The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effect of protection against pine weevil damage and the long-term effect of different soil scarification methods on the number of trees, tree height and the volume production of spruce (Picea abies). The soil preparation methods that were compared were mounding, patch scarification and the inverse method. These were compared as well as to, no soil preparation at all. Half of the plants were treated against pine weevil with permethrin. These were evenly distributed in the experiment. The study was conducted in the trial area 9284, at SLU's experimental park in Siljansfors, Mora municipality. The trees were 17 years old when measured (16 years after planting) in the autumn 2018. Then tree height, diameter and the height of the green crown was measured. Volume was calculated with volume functions. Mounding, the inverse method and patch scarification (in the order mentioned) and pine weevil protection benefited the volume production of the spruce trees, the numbers of trees and tree height. The fact that mounding and the inverse method was so successful in this experiment is probably due to that the soil in Siljansfors is nutrient-poor and moist. High planting points increases the risk of drought. Permethrin treatment had a positive effect on volume production and the number of plants, however, there was no significant difference regarding tree height. Soil preparation and permethrin treatment provide lasting long-term effects on production.