Washington. Researchers from Pennsylvania (USA) have reported the development of a new repellent against aphids using the pheromones emitted by ladybugs, the main hunters of aphids.
The research team, led by Sarah Herman, published their research in the journal Basic and Applied Ecology, and the discovery was recently granted an innovation patent.
Although ladybugs are known to kill aphids, which damage almost all types of agricultural plants, scientists have focused mainly on the dynamics of the relationship between these organisms.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania were interested in the ability of aphids to detect the unique scent emitted by ladybugs and use it as a signal to change behavioral traits to help avoid ladybugs.
“We want to understand how the fear of being eaten affects aphid behavior and physiology. “By using knowledge about the basic ecological interactions that already exist, we can work with nature, not against it,” said S. Hermann.
Scientists studied the reaction of aphids to the odors of ladybugs and characterized the chemical composition of these odors, identified the main compounds.
After that came the testing phase, where the researchers released the scent of beetles into the air around the plants, signaling the problem to nearby aphids. During the experiment, it turned out that aphids try to avoid plants with the smell of ladybugs. It also reduced aphid feeding time by 25%. reduced their population size.
The next stage of research is testing the repellent in large agricultural fields. In addition, the researchers will study a similar scheme with parasitoid insects, whose larvae live and feed on other insects.
According to the researchers, the components of the ladybug odor can be produced commercially and supplied to the market. Aromatic intervention to control widespread aphids could be a sustainable solution for agriculture. Unlike insecticides that kill aphids, the repellent will not cause the resistance problems common with pesticides.
Source: University of Pennsylvania report
Tags: Farm Develops ladybugscented aphid repellent
