Practical applications of semiochemicals

Tony Hooper (Rothamsted Research, UK) discussed local applications of push-pull insect-control strategies with plant-derived semiochemicals and pheromones in the control of crop pests. For example a sudan grass trap crop reduced the number of stem borers on maize grown in adjacent plots. Five thousand African farmers have already been involved in a practical test of the methodology which exploits plant diversity in a very creative way. It was an excellent example of an understanding of chemistry and biotechnology being put to practical use in a local context. 

If the applied potential of these semiochemicals is enormous, actual applications remain rare (see Chapter 9) and require more research, both to better target the mechanisms to the work, and to adapt these iimovative strategies to agriculture practices and support their adoption. 

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