A review on insect pheromones of crop pests & its future applications

Abstract

Background: Crop failure due to pest infestation can devastate local communities in agrarian economies across the world. However, the overuse of insecticides has led to the development of resistant pests and pollution of the groundwater through run-off, which also impacts rural settings. Thus, Integrated Pest Management systems must be put in place for targeted prevention of crop pests. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus to identify English-language, peer-reviewed articles published between 1920 and 2026 using keywords related to insect pheromones, insects, and resistant plants. Conclusion: It highlights crucial crops where Integrated Pest Management is yet to be deployed against the major insect pests, and shows how the discovery of mating, aggregation or alarm pheromones in evolutionary related insects, or those with a similar habitat, can aid identification of the key components of unexplored pheromone systems. Novelty/Originality of the article: Synthesis and dispersal of these pheromones is discussed, with the types of traps that work best for the insect. Also, other methods of pest control and resistant cultivars are mentioned for holistic crop development.