A technical review of the use of pheromones in the control of insect pests in agriculture. It examines the scientific background and chemical manufacture of pheromones and the economic and commercial factors relevant to the introduction of this novel system.

There is now a considerable literature on chemical ecology, which had its beginnings in the study of insect pheromones. This beginning was possible only by combining the disciplines and techniques of biology and chemistry. For a biologist, it is difficult to understand the time frames of analytical and synthetic chemistry. A compound may take days to characterize and be available in minutes from a bottle on the shelf, or it may take years to characterize and synthesize. Chemists have a similar frustration: after an intense programme of work, the insect in question may not emerge for many months. study are, however, The rewards of integrated interdisciplinary considerable, because they allow us to understand many facets of insect behaviour and consequently to control that behaviour for our own ends. In this book, we have set out to explain the results of research from chemical and biological perspectives, and see how the knowledge gained has led to novel techniques that can be used in insect pest management and insect control. An important part of understanding insect chemical ecology involves the understanding not only of new concepts but of the vocabularies used by scientists specializing in different fields. It will be clear that the three sections of this book have been written by three different people: an insect behaviourist, an organic chemist and a biologist in industry.

This book contains the proceedings of the "First International Symposium on Insect Pheromones," which was held at Wageningen, The Netherlands, from March 6 to March 11, 1994. Eighty participants from 17 countries attended the symposium, which turned out to be a unique forum for the exchange of the latest worldwide findings on insect pheromones, an opportunity to discuss and debate unsettled issues, and a mechanism to define new directions in pheromone research and foster interdisciplinary collaborations. The meeting comprised five sessions representing the breadth of disciplinary interest in pheromones, a typical charac teristic of this research area. In the sessions the following topics were presented: (1) control of pheromone production (organized by W. L. Roelofs), (2) sensory processing of pheromone signals (T. L. Payne), (3) neuroethology of pheromone mediated responses (T. C. Baker), (4) use of pheromones in direct control (A. K. Minks and R. T. Card6), and (5) evolution of pheromone communication (c. LOfstedt). All sessions started with a series of 30-minute lectures, after which ample time was reserved for discussion. In each session some participants were asked to serve as discussants and to initiate and stimulate discussion, and a rapporteur was recruited to make notes of these discussions and to summarize the general trends emerging from the session. The general program ming of the symposium was in the hands of R. T. Carde, A. K. Minks, and T. L. Payne.

This book is an update on environmentally sound pest management practices under the umbrella of integrated pest management (IPM). It consists of seven contributions from different authors providing information on pest management approaches as chemical alternatives. The book chapters detail about historical review of IPM concepts; strategies and some experiences in applications of IPM in Latin America; pest control in organic agricultural system; and the use of entomopathogenic and molluscoparasitic nematodes, insect pheromones, semiochemicals, detergents, and soaps as a part of IPM scheme. The goal of this book is to provide the most up-to-date review on information available around chemical alternatives in IPM. Therefore, this book will equip academia and industry with adequate basic concepts and applications of IPM as eco-friendly pest management option.

Insect pheromones have tremendous potential for controlling pests, and this volume collects current research on a wide range of insects, including termites, grasshoppers, aphids, scale insects, sawflies, beetles, midges, fruit flies, and bees.

Ecofriendly Pest Management for Food Security explores the broad range of opportunity and challenges afforded by Integrated Pest Management systems. The book focuses on the insect resistance that has developed as a result of pest control chemicals, and how new methods of environmentally complementary pest control can be used to suppress harmful organisms while protecting the soil, plants, and air around them. As the world's population continues its rapid increase, this book addresses the production of cereals, vegetables, fruits, and other foods and their subsequent demand increase. Traditional means of food crop production face proven limitations and increasing research is turning to alternative means of crop growth and protection. - Addresses environmentally focused pest control with specific attention to its role in food security and sustainability. - Includes a range of pest management methods, from natural enemies to biomolecules. - Written by experts with extensive real-world experience.