Vol. 5, Issue 3 (2017)
Role of infochemicals to enhance the efficacy of biocontrol agents in pest management
Author(s): Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh, Iram Khursheed, M Jamal Ahmad, Ishtiyaq Ahad, Fayaz A Tali and Sajad Un Nabi
Abstract: Infochemicals are chemicals that convey information in an interaction between two individuals evoking in receiver a behavioural or physiological response that is adaptive to one of interactants or both. Information conveying compounds, so-called infochemicals, are divided into two broad categories according to their use within and between species. Pheromones are substances that mediate interactions of individuals belonging to the same species. Allelochemicals, the second group of infochemicals, mediate interactions of individuals belonging to different species. Depending on the benefits for sender and receiver, they are categorized into allomones (beneficial for the sender), kairomones (beneficial for the receiver) and synomones (beneficial for sender and receiver). Kairomones are mainly involved in the host selection process including the habitat preferences and a series of consecutive behaviours that lead to the successful parasitisation of the host. These chemicals may originate from the host itself (e.g., cuticular compounds) or different stages of host (eggs, larvae, pupae, adult) host by-products (e.g., frass, exuviae, mandibular gland secretions, defense secretions etc.). In addition, parasitoids rely also on volatiles of the hosts food plant (synomones) induced by feeding or oviposition of the herbivore. Application of allelochemicals in pest control is impossible without knowledge of the behavior induced by the chemicals. Application of infochemicals have initiated many ideas in pest control: Enhancing searching efficiency of natural enemies, Bringing the natural enemies in a specific search mode, making novel or artificial host-prey species acceptable in a mass rearing, breeding plant cultivars that have an increased emission rate of natural enemy-attracting synomones. Chemicals are among the main information-conveying agents available to predatory arthropods. They play an essential role in almost all stages of prey searching and prey selection The idea of enhancing search efficiency through application of allelochemicals has been seriously tested in laboratory and field situations with Trichogramma spp. The ‘push-pull’ strategy, is based on practical use of allelochemicals, management of cereal stem borers in Africa have been successfully accomplished through push-pull strategy.
Pages: 655-662 | 1039 Views 62 Downloads
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How to cite this article:
Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh, Iram Khursheed, M Jamal Ahmad, Ishtiyaq Ahad, Fayaz A Tali, Sajad Un Nabi. Role of infochemicals to enhance the efficacy of biocontrol agents in pest management. Int J Chem Stud 2017;5(3):655-662.
