New pheromones and insect control strategies

Abstract

A survey of the new environmentally safe strategies used for insect control is presented. The survey includes mating disruption, pheromone antagonists as chemical communication inhibitors, pheromones and plant-based volatiles, attractant-and-kill, and push-pull strategies. Important successes have been obtained, particularly in mating disruption with significant reduction in pesticide use in low to moderate pest infestations. One important factor of concern is the high cost of semiochemicals and formulations containing them in comparison to the conventional insecticide treatments, and a combined effort by scientists, producers, and farmers should be made to reduce the cost of application of these semiochemicals.