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Pheromone Use for Insect Control: Present Status and Prospect in Bangladesh

Md. Azharul Islam
Assistant Professor
Graduate Training Institute, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymenshingh, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The insect’s world is filled with many odors. Insects use these odors to cue them in a variety of complex social behaviors, including courtship, mating, and egg laying. Scientists and pest control specialists have known about these complex communication systems for decades. The main aim of this study was to visualize the availability, trends and differences in the sources of pheromone control in agricultural growth of Bangladesh. It also concerned on constrains and present use of pheromone and their possible recommendation on behalf of Bangladesh agriculture. It concentrated on the data during last three decades (1980-2010), comprising status of pheromone use in Bangladesh agriculture and its future. Review revealed that Bangladesh has been enormously successful in increasing pheromone use in agricultural production (especially for vegetables). Understanding of the nature of pheromones and their potential for pest control along with the future prospective of pheromone technique in agriculture were stated. Since the pheromone, technologies for control of major crop pests in Bangladesh are still limited. So that this review emphasized on more attention to the authority to increase the research works and project facilities related to develop and promote pheromone techniques. It is highly recommended to increase availability of pheromone in market, more investment in research and development, introduction of newly identified pheromone for specific pest, to assist government and nongovernment organizations to work with farmers to reduce harmful insecticide use and promote pheromone tactics as one part of integrated crop management (ICM).

Keywords: Sex pheromone, Integrated Crop Management, Monitoring, Trapping, Mating disruption

Location: Graduate Training Institute, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymenshingh, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Pest Management

Non-commodity: Performance

Objectives:

To determine the present status and prospect in Bangladesh

Methodology:

The use of pheromone for controlling pest insects requires three items: a pheromone chemical, a trap, and a support to hang the trap in the field. Technically sex pheromones can be used in three principal ways: Detection and Monitoring: The principle use of insect pheromones is to attract insects to traps for detection and determination of temporal distribution. In most instances, the males are responders to female-produced pheromones. Trap baits, therefore, are designed to closely reproduce the ratio of chemical components and emission rate of calling females. Trap baits of many designs have been tested over the years. Trap design is also critical to effective use of traps for monitoring insect populations. Traps vary in design and size dependent on the behavior of the target insects. The information from trap catches can be very useful for decision making on insecticide applications or other control measures. For example, trap catches may indicate a loss of effect of pheromone on mating disruption and the need to reapply a pheromone treatment. Careful monitoring and experience in interpreting collected data are important for success. Traps may also be placed with the objective of destroying males for population control. Mass trapping: Sex pheromone baited traps can capture male moths continuously, thus preventing mating and multiplication of the pest. This approach has proven to be particularly efficient and economical. Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) is an economically important crop throughout South and South East Asia. Fruit losses in excess of 50% are commonly reported due to the boring activity of larvae of the brinjal shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis (Cork et al., 2005). Mating disruption: Sex pheromone can be used for disruption of mating, which is achieved by placing high concentrations of pheromone at regular intervals throughout the field. The high concentration of pheromone saturates the area resulting in males failing to find females, which produce very minute quantities of these chemicals, thus preventing mating and multiplication of the pest. Pheromone traps Various types of traps are available commercially, while others can be made by farmers inexpensively at home. A pheromonebaited lure inside the trap will bring male moths inside the trap. Proper trap design is critical to kill the pest once it enters the trap. The type of trap to be used depends on the behaviour of the target insect. Various research works showed the most effective traps in pest control are delta traps, winged traps and funnel traps. Present Status on Pheromone use in Bangladesh There is significant evidence that insecticide use in Bangladesh is increasing dramatically. The country imports pesticides worth 24000 crore taka every year a huge business. Farmers are applying pesticides where they are not actually necessary, at high cost to themselves and the environment. These pesticides are becoming redundant because of the development of resistance to them and more importantly affect environmental pollution. Governments are becoming aware of the negative environmental and health aspects associated with the use of these compounds, so now there is an urgent need for the development of alternative control technologies.

Source of Information: Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 2 (1): 47-55, June, 2012, ISSN: 2224-0616

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Bangladesh has been enormously successful in increasing its agricultural production in an effort to attain self-sufficiency. This has been largely achieved through new technologies in agriculture. The farmers were immensely benefited by using a combination of pheromones and beneficial insects when they could no longer control harmful pests even after spraying insecticides. Damage to production was 40 to 50 per cent even after spraying cocktail insecticides but after using pheromones and beneficial insects, the rate of damage diminished to 10 per cent. The identification and uses of insect pheromones is an active area of research and new developments continue to be made. Potentially, pheromones may be used to trap out certain Bangladeshi harmful insects and to attract insects to insecticide or chemosterilant baits, reduce the number of insecticide applications, or to confuse insects and disrupt mating. Use of traps as a sampling tool to determine need for and timing of control measures can provide the basis of an ICM/IPM strategy for these pests. Pheromone programs have been used for several decades around the globe and to date (2012) there is no documented public health evidence to suggest that agricultural use of synthetic pheromones is harmful to humans or to any other non-target species. However, continuing research is being conducted. In order to reduce the pesticidal load in the environment and with sustainability, certain behavioral chemicals could be harnessed. Such an endeavor is the use of sex pheromones. This dynamic and paradigm shift in management strategies satisfies all the bio-safety concern as well as playing a pivotal role in combating insect pests of high-value and damage sensitive crops. The research from socioeconomists will help to guide the strategy for promotion of the pheromone technology in Bangladesh successfully. This review facilitates technical ways for identification/confirmation, understanding of the nature of pheromones, their potential for pest control and overview in respect of Bangladesh.

Knowledge Management: Journal