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Insects
Special Issues
Chemical Communication in Insects: New Advances in IPM Strategies
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Chemical Communication in Insects: New Advances in IPM Strategies

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2023) | Viewed by 20106

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Angel Guerrero

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Córcega, 56, 3º, 4ª, 08029 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: organic chemistry; agricultural chemistry; chemical communication; insect pheromones; pest control
Prof. Dr. Gadi V. P. Reddy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
USDA-ARS, Southern Insect Management Research Unit, 141 Experiment Station Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA
Interests: resource conservation techniques; modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chemical communication in insects is a key feature for their survival since it mediates important behaviors, such as food-seeking, recruitment, recognition of congeners and mating, alarm, and territorial marking. Many of these processes are intraspecifically regulated by pheromones, which have become essential tools for monitoring and controlling agricultural pest populations due to their main features being species-specific, non-toxic to mammals and other beneficial organisms, active in minor amounts, and rapid degradation in the environment. In the past five decades, there has been an enormous volume of literature dealing with successful practical applications of sex pheromones either singly or in combination with other control strategies in integrated pest management approaches, such as monitoring of pest populations, mass trapping, mating disruption, attract-and-kill, and push-pull strategy. For this Special Issue, we invite the submission of novel, high-quality research papers, case reports, and comprehensive reviews on all aspects of chemical communication in insects. In particular, the following subjects are welcomed: new insect pheromones, new methodologies and techniques in insect pheromone research, chemical ecology of new insect pests, invasive alien species, innovative pest control strategies, and new developments in IPM, among others.

Prof. Dr. Angel Guerrero
Prof. Dr. Gadi V. P. Reddy
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • semiochemicals
  • insect pheromones
  • chemical ecology
  • integrated pest management
  • insects’ chemical communication
  • monitoring
  • mass trapping
  • mating disruption
  • attract-and-kill
  • push-pull strategies

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review, Other

5 pages, 227 KiB  
Editorial
Chemical Communication in Insects: New Advances in Integrated Pest Management Strategies
by Angel Guerrero and Gadi V. P. Reddy
Insects 2023, 14(10), 799; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14100799 - 3 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2317
Abstract
Chemical communication plays a pivotal role in many insect behaviors, including food-seeking, recruitment, the recognition of congeners, reproduction, alarm, territorial marking, and survival [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Communication in Insects: New Advances in IPM Strategies)

Research

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13 pages, 1210 KiB  
Article
Economic Benefits from the Use of Mass Trapping in the Management of Diamondback Moth, Plutella xylostella, in Central America
by Francisco Gonzalez, Carlos Rodríguez and Cam Oehlschlager
Insects 2023, 14(2), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14020149 - 1 Feb 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2638
Abstract
The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is a worldwide pest of brassica crops, resistant to a large number of insecticides. As an alternative, the use of pheromone-baited traps has been proposed but farmers are yet to be convinced. In the present study, we [...] Read more.
The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is a worldwide pest of brassica crops, resistant to a large number of insecticides. As an alternative, the use of pheromone-baited traps has been proposed but farmers are yet to be convinced. In the present study, we aimed to validate the benefits of the use of pheromone-baited traps for monitoring and mass trapping in cabbage production in Central America as means of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in comparison to calendarized insecticide sprays, which are the farmers’ current practices (FCP). Mass trapping was established in nine selected plots of cabbage in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Average captures of males/trap/night, plant damage and net profits of these IPM plots were compared to simultaneously evaluated or historically reported FCP plots. The results indicate that in Costa Rica, trap captures did not justify the application of insecticides and average net profits increased by more than 11% when the trapping methods were implemented. In Nicaragua, IPM plots were able to reduce insecticide applications to one third of those in FCP plots. These results confirm the economic and environmental benefits of pheromone-based management of DBM in Central America. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Communication in Insects: New Advances in IPM Strategies)
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10 pages, 1419 KiB  
Article
Laboratory Evidence of 2-Isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine as a Male-Released Aggregative Cue in Labidostomis lusitanica (Germar) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)
by Sergio López, Sara Rodrigo-Gómez, Enrique Fernández-Carrillo, Clàudia Corbella-Martorell and Carmen Quero
Insects 2023, 14(2), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14020107 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1862
Abstract
In spite of its incidence on pistachio trees, the chemical ecology of Labidostomis lusitanica (Germar) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) has been neglected so far. In this work, we provide the first evidence of a biologically active male-specific compound that may be promoting field aggregation. Headspace [...] Read more.
In spite of its incidence on pistachio trees, the chemical ecology of Labidostomis lusitanica (Germar) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) has been neglected so far. In this work, we provide the first evidence of a biologically active male-specific compound that may be promoting field aggregation. Headspace collections through solid-phase microextraction from feral males and females reported the presence of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine exclusively in males. Electroantennographic recordings revealed that males and females responded in a dose-dependent manner to increasing stimuli of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine, with females overall displaying a higher response than males. In dual-choice tests, both males and females showed a significant preference for the compound in comparison to a pure air stimulus. In light of these results, the possible role of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine as an aggregation cue in L. lusitanica is discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Communication in Insects: New Advances in IPM Strategies)
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21 pages, 1623 KiB  
Article
Fermented or Floral? Developing a Generalized Food Bait Lure to Monitor Cutworm and Armyworm Moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Field Crops
by Ronald E. Batallas and Maya L. Evenden
Insects 2023, 14(2), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14020106 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2590
Abstract
Cutworms and armyworms (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are a pest complex in North America that cause sporadic damage in field crops on the Canadian Prairies; however, no methods have been developed to reliably monitor population densities. Food-based semiochemicals attract both sexes of adult moths and [...] Read more.
Cutworms and armyworms (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are a pest complex in North America that cause sporadic damage in field crops on the Canadian Prairies; however, no methods have been developed to reliably monitor population densities. Food-based semiochemicals attract both sexes of adult moths and could be used to monitor multiple species with a single lure in a single trap. Here, we focus on enhancing the attractiveness of acetic acid and 3-methyl-1-butanol (AAMB) lures to redbacked cutworm (Euxoa ochrogaster) (RBC) and other noctuid pests. Experiments conducted in canola and wheat fields tested AAMB lures at different release rates, from different devices and in combination with other semiochemicals. High-release lures captured more females in canola, while low-release lures captured more males in wheat. Thus, crop volatiles may influence response to lures. Semiochemicals embedded in an inert matrix caught more RBC moths than semiochemicals released from Nalgene or polyethylene dispensers did. More RBC females were attracted to AAMB lures with 2-methyl-1-propanol than phenylacetaldehyde. Fermented volatiles appear to be a more reliable attractant than floral volatiles for these species. RBC moth antennae produced significant responses to all doses of phenylacetaldehyde tested in electroantennogram assays, but only to higher doses of acetic acid and 3-methyl-1-butanol. Physiological state of the RBC moths also influenced responsiveness to the tested semiochemical. Feeding status did not influence the antennal response to acetic acid and phenylacetaldehyde in either sex, but it increased the response to 3-methyl-1-butanol in females when fed. AAMB lures should be further developed to monitor RBC moths and other noctuid pests in field crops. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Communication in Insects: New Advances in IPM Strategies)
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13 pages, 2761 KiB  
Article
Use of a Sprayable Sex Pheromone Formulation in Landscape-Level Control of Choristoneura fumiferana Populations
by Lucas E. Roscoe, Wayne MacKinnon, Jacques Régnière, Glen Forbes, Matt Brophy and Rosanna Lamb
Insects 2022, 13(12), 1175; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13121175 - 17 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1844
Abstract
Choristoneura fumiferana (SBW) is a major defoliating pest of balsam fir and spruce in eastern North America. As part of an integrated management strategy for SBW, we evaluated the effectiveness of mating disruption as a landscape-level population control tactic. Using a sprayable formulation [...] Read more.
Choristoneura fumiferana (SBW) is a major defoliating pest of balsam fir and spruce in eastern North America. As part of an integrated management strategy for SBW, we evaluated the effectiveness of mating disruption as a landscape-level population control tactic. Using a sprayable formulation (CONFOUNDSBW) containing a synthetic sex pheromone blend, we treated five 300 ha blocks in Northern New Brunswick with an aerially applied microencapsulated mixture. There were significant reductions in adult trap catches in treated blocks compared to untreated control blocks. Branch sampling in treated blocks showed uniform distribution of CONFOUNDSBW deposition throughout the blocks. Population densities following treatment were not significantly affected when compared to densities in control blocks, or prior to treatment. Analysis of egg:adult ratios indicates that no immigration events occurred within treatment or control blocks. The lack of population reduction following treatment strongly suggests that widespread application of CONFOUNDSBW at a rate of 50 g of active ingredient per hectare is not an effective tool in controlling SBW populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Communication in Insects: New Advances in IPM Strategies)
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17 pages, 1357 KiB  
Article
Newly Discovered Components of Dendrolimus pini Sex Pheromone
by Krzysztof J. Rudziński, Dorota Staszek, Monika Asztemborska, Lidia Sukovata, Jerzy Raczko, Marek Cieślak, Andrzej Kolk and Rafał Szmigielski
Insects 2022, 13(11), 1063; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13111063 - 17 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2330
Abstract
The pine-tree lappet moth, D. pini, is a harmful defoliator of pine forests in Europe and Asia and a potentially invasive species in North America. The lures for trapping D. pini males based on two known components of its sex pheromone appeared weakly [...] Read more.
The pine-tree lappet moth, D. pini, is a harmful defoliator of pine forests in Europe and Asia and a potentially invasive species in North America. The lures for trapping D. pini males based on two known components of its sex pheromone appeared weakly attractive to male moths. Identification of all components of the sex pheromone might allow for the development of more effective lures. The pheromone was sampled from virgin females using SPME and analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Four new likely components ((Z5)-dodecenal, (Z5)-dodecen-1-ol, (Z5)-decen-1-yl acetate, (Z5)-tetradecen-1-yl acetate) and two known components ((Z5,E7)-dodecadienal, (Z5,E7)-dodecadien-1-ol) were identified based on comparison against authentic standards, Kováts indices and spectra libraries. The samples also contained several sesquiterpenes. Wind tunnel and field experiments showed that some blends of synthetic pheromone components alone or enriched with Scots pine essential oil (SPEO) were attractive to D. pini males. One component—(Z5)-decen-1-yl acetate—had a repelling effect. The presented knowledge of D. pini sex pheromone provides a basis for developing optimal lures for monitoring or controlling insect populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Communication in Insects: New Advances in IPM Strategies)
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Review

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14 pages, 868 KiB  
Review
Maximizing the Potential of Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits (ATSBs) for Integrated Vector Management
by Teresia Muthoni Njoroge, Majidah Hamid-Adiamoh and Molly Duman-Scheel
Insects 2023, 14(7), 585; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14070585 - 28 Jun 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3357
Abstract
Due to the limitations of the human therapeutics and vaccines available to treat and prevent mosquito-borne diseases, the primary strategy for disease mitigation is through vector control. However, the current tools and approaches used for mosquito control have proven insufficient to prevent malaria [...] Read more.
Due to the limitations of the human therapeutics and vaccines available to treat and prevent mosquito-borne diseases, the primary strategy for disease mitigation is through vector control. However, the current tools and approaches used for mosquito control have proven insufficient to prevent malaria and arboviral infections, such as dengue, Zika, and lymphatic filariasis, and hence, these diseases remain a global public health threat. The proven ability of mosquito vectors to adapt to various control strategies through insecticide resistance, invasive potential, and behavioral changes from indoor to outdoor biting, combined with human failures to comply with vector control requirements, challenge sustained malaria and arboviral disease control worldwide. To address these concerns, increased efforts to explore more varied and integrated control strategies have emerged. These include approaches that involve the behavioral management of vectors. Attractive targeted sugar baits (ATSBs) are a vector control approach that manipulates and exploits mosquito sugar-feeding behavior to deploy insecticides. Although traditional approaches have been effective in controlling malaria vectors indoors, preventing mosquito bites outdoors and around human dwellings is challenging. ATSBs, which can be used to curb outdoor biting mosquitoes, have the potential to reduce mosquito densities and clinical malaria incidence when used in conjunction with existing vector control strategies. This review examines the available literature regarding the utility of ATSBs for mosquito control, providing an overview of ATSB active ingredients (toxicants), attractants, modes of deployment, target organisms, and the potential for integrating ATSBs with existing vector control interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Communication in Insects: New Advances in IPM Strategies)
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Other

11 pages, 956 KiB  
Brief Report
Wide Range of Brachyceran Fly Taxa Attracted to Synthetic and Semi-Synthetic Generic Noctuid Lures and the Description of New Attractants for Sciomyzidae and Heleomyzidae Families
by Antal Nagy, Patrik Katona, Attila Molnár, Zoltán Rádai, Miklós Tóth, Kálmán Szanyi and Szabolcs Szanyi
Insects 2023, 14(8), 705; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14080705 - 14 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1556
Abstract
During field tests implemented in Transcarpathia (West Ukraine) in 2015, 6501 specimens belonging to 26 Brachyceran fly families were collected with traps baited with generic lures (originally developed for noctuid moths) based on fermenting liquid and floral compounds. Isoamyl alcohol-based baits generally attracted [...] Read more.
During field tests implemented in Transcarpathia (West Ukraine) in 2015, 6501 specimens belonging to 26 Brachyceran fly families were collected with traps baited with generic lures (originally developed for noctuid moths) based on fermenting liquid and floral compounds. Isoamyl alcohol-based baits generally attracted more flies than phenylacetaldehyde-based baits and unbaited controls; however, the phenylacetaldehyde-based traps were the most attractive to the Empididae and Milichiidae families. The isoamyl alcohol-based semisynthetic lure showed significant attractivity to the families of Muscidae, Ulidiidae, Sarcophagidae, Calliphoridae, Sciomyzidae, Heleomyzidae, Drosophilidae, Phoridae and Platystomatidae. Additionally, isoamyl alcohol-based semisynthetic lure is the first reported attractant of the Sciomyzidae family. Since our phenylacetaldehyde-based floral lure was also attractive to Heleomyzidae flies, both types of lures can be seen as the first known attractants of this family. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Communication in Insects: New Advances in IPM Strategies)
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