Insect sex-communication and prospects for pheromones in pest management

Abstract

The evolution of methods used in the extraction, isolation and identification of insect sex pheromones is briefly described.

In the early years of pheromone chemistry, it was believed that chemical simplicity was the general rule, but, as research continued, it became evident that insect sex pheromones are complex chemical mixtures.

Many lepidopteran species use messages composed of a combination of positional or geometrical isomers. The female moth produces a precise ratio of these components and the male moth perceives these specific blends by sensilla located on the antennae and containing at least two different receptors. The interpretation of the antennal sensory inputs would be made by the central nervous system. For some species it has been shown that olfactory repectors can also distinguish the different spatial arrangements of the optical isomers of pheromone components.

It has long been recognized that insect sex attractants are valuable tools in pest control programs. Survey and monitoring traps have been extensively used in detecting infestations of non-indigenous species and in some cases in guiding measures to control or prevent the spread of existing infestations.

Mass trapping studies for insect suppression have proved to be useful in particular situations.

Much attention is now being focused on the use of synthetic attractants in the direct control of key-pests by disruption of their premating communication systems. However, practical applications of this technique are still limited because many technical, economic and regulator difficulties must still be overcome.