THE USE OF PHEROMONES IN PLANT-PROTECTION - PHYSIOLOGICAL-MECHANISMS OF MATING DISRUPTION

Lepidoptera sex pheromones are used to monitor and control pest insect populations in the field. Mating disruption can be realized by permeating the air with synthetic pheromones. If many successes in pest control have been recorded with mating disruption, its physiological mechanisms are still poorly understood. The three main factors that contribute to breaking pheromone communication (sensory adaptation, habituation, and confusion) are discussed with regard to recent progress in chemoreception neurophysiology and chemical orientation.