Key Takeaways
- Researchers at Cornell University have revived an electroantennogram to identify insect-attracting and repelling scents, aiding pest management.
- The technique helps pinpoint females’ specific pheromones, crucial for targeting pests that damage crops.
- Current research focuses on developing new lures for female codling moths and exploring alarm pheromones from pests like woolly apple aphids.
Reviving an Old Device for Modern Pest Control
Scientists at Cornell University have reintroduced the electroantennogram, a device that dates back nearly 70 years, to help agricultural practices by identifying scents that attract or repel insects. This innovative approach aims to assist growers in combating crop-threatening pests, including various beetles, aphids, and codling moths.
Originally developed for pheromone research in the 1970s, the electroantennogram enables researchers to detect specific scent molecules through an insect’s antennae. These molecules can either attract pests—such as sex pheromones or fruit odors—or deter them through alarm pheromones that signal danger. Christophe Duplais, an associate professor of chemical ecology, emphasizes the importance of tracking pest populations in light of increasing pest and invasive species challenges.
Despite significant advancements in identifying attractive pheromones for male insects, discovering compounds that attract females has proven more difficult. Females often depend on plant odors for food and egg-laying, which means effective monitoring and pest management require understanding female attraction. Duplais notes that pest management strategies primarily focus on male insects, hence the need for targeted lures for females to predict crop damage and optimize intervention timing.
In ongoing research, Duplais and Monique Rivera, a tree fruit entomologist, have isolated volatile compounds from apples that attract female codling moths, a major pest for apples, pears, and peaches. Using gas chromatography, they will separate these compounds to determine which molecules trigger responses in female moths. By connecting a female moth’s antenna to the electroantennogram, they can measure current changes elicited by interactions with these scent molecules.
Their ultimate goal is to develop commercial lures targeting female pests, thus enhancing crop protection. Upon identifying the right molecule, the team intends to test it in apple orchards with the aim of creating effective, commercial solutions.
Additionally, the researchers are exploring new pheromones for broader agricultural applications. Recently, they identified a potential alarm pheromone from woolly apple aphid colonies and are examining whether it encourages dispersion within apple orchards. They are also investigating if scent compounds released by black stem borers, a harmful pest, could be harnessed to promote collective behaviors that allow for early trapping before significant damage occurs.
This innovative research not only aims to assist growers in managing pests more effectively but also highlights the contributions of historical techniques to modern agricultural challenges. The findings from this study could lead to significant improvements in pest management, ultimately aiming to reduce crop losses and enhance agricultural productivity.
The content above is a summary. For more details, see the source article.