About this Research Topic
Nowadays we are constantly being invited to increase our knowledge towards the control of insect populations, mainly of agricultural pests and disease vectors. Insecticide resistance is a phenomenon where resistant insects do not die when faced with chemical compounds. Various factors are associated with insecticide resistance, including biological, genetic, and operational (e.g. amount of insecticides applied on determinate area) causes. Insecticides are actually extremely toxic to the environment and therefore, searching for environmentally friendly methods for population management of insect vectors and crop pests is currently one of the greatest scientific challenges.
This Research Topic focuses on the aspects of insect physiology such as olfaction, behavior, development, excretion, homeostasis, neurobiology, and reproduction involved in the control of insect vectors or crop pests’ populations and the disruption of parasite-vector interaction.
Research describing molecular-based strategies for insect population control using approaches involving either genes, proteins, electrophysiological responses, and molecular docking is particularly relevant. Research aiming to characterize the physiological response to relevant volatiles or natural compounds obtained from plant secondary metabolites is also encouraged.
In the context of environmentally friendly interventions to control crop pests and insect vectors, we welcome review papers and original research on the following themes:
• Advances in the understanding of insect responses to plant volatiles
• Advances in the understanding of insect response to animal volatiles
• Progress on pheromone discovery and trap development
• Progress on insect repellents research
• Role of insects’ olfactory proteins on the development of devices
• Insights into insects’ olfactory proteins for the search for new bioactive molecules for population management strategies
• Relevant applications of biotechnology and molecular biology for insect pest or vector management
• Synthesis, discovery, screening, structure/activity, and biochemical mode of action of chemical defined natural compounds as pesticides
• Secondary metabolites of plants acting as physiologically active compounds and their physiological and metabolic routes
This Research Topic focuses on the aspects of insect physiology such as olfaction, behavior, development, excretion, homeostasis, neurobiology, and reproduction involved in the control of insect vectors or crop pests’ populations and the disruption of parasite-vector interaction.
Research describing molecular-based strategies for insect population control using approaches involving either genes, proteins, electrophysiological responses, and molecular docking is particularly relevant. Research aiming to characterize the physiological response to relevant volatiles or natural compounds obtained from plant secondary metabolites is also encouraged.
In the context of environmentally friendly interventions to control crop pests and insect vectors, we welcome review papers and original research on the following themes:
• Advances in the understanding of insect responses to plant volatiles
• Advances in the understanding of insect response to animal volatiles
• Progress on pheromone discovery and trap development
• Progress on insect repellents research
• Role of insects’ olfactory proteins on the development of devices
• Insights into insects’ olfactory proteins for the search for new bioactive molecules for population management strategies
• Relevant applications of biotechnology and molecular biology for insect pest or vector management
• Synthesis, discovery, screening, structure/activity, and biochemical mode of action of chemical defined natural compounds as pesticides
• Secondary metabolites of plants acting as physiologically active compounds and their physiological and metabolic routes
Keywords: Insect Physiology, Biotechnology, Volatiles, Sustainability, Pest Management
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
