The power of smell: How understanding the language of insects can transform agriculture
The INIA Quilamapu researcher, Ricardo Ceballos, is one of the promoters of Insect Chemical Ecology in Chile, a discipline that relies heavily on the study of the olfactory system and other forms of chemical perception in insects.
"The olfactory system is one of the most sophisticated and oldest structures within the complex sensory systems," stated Ricardo Ceballos, a researcher at INIA Quilamapu, one of the promoters of Chemical Ecology of Insects in Chile.
The specialist, who carries out his work in the 脩uble Region (Chile), indicated that this discipline strongly relies on the study of the olfactory system and other forms of chemical perception in insects. He explained that the system is capable of detecting and distinguishing thousands of different organic molecules (aldehydes, esters, ketones, alcohols, etc.), many of them in amazingly small amounts.
Ceballos - who in 20 years has structured Chemical Ecology as a new area of integrated pest insect management - commented that it was thanks to the extraordinary olfactory capacity of the planet's first organisms that they managed to survive, as they were able to detect food, predators, and their reproductive mates.
He stated that in humans, the sense of smell seems to be subordinated to a secondary level, while other species preserve highly specialized systems. This is the case with insects that have developed extremely sensitive olfactory receptors, capable of capturing molecules in the air and triggering an immediate response. "These receptors allow them a rapid detection of chemical molecules, a vital process for their survival", he specified.
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An environment that has dramatically changed
The specialist from INIA said that, for millions of years, the sensory systems of insects have been evolving, from the relatively stable primitive natural environments, to the current environments, deeply altered by human activity. "Factors such as human overpopulation and the expansion of intensive agriculture have led us to depend on monocultures, since modern agriculture requires a large amount of fertilizers, water, and pesticides".
Ricardo Ceballos added that all these practices simplify the landscape and reduce local biodiversity, creating conditions for pests and diseases to establish and spread easily. In this context, he mentioned that "globalization has accelerated the dispersion of invasive species" and that "climate change allows native species to emerge as pests that affect exotic plant species introduced for productive purposes". He added that conventional control methods present significant limitations in sustainability and long-term effectiveness.
Chemical Ecology Based on Insect Language
"Chemical ecology is the discipline that studies how organisms use natural chemical substances to communicate and interact," the researcher from INIA Quilamapu stated, adding that with this information "it is possible to utilize this knowledge to intervene specifically, minimizing alterations to the ecosystem."
In the case of insects, Ceballos pointed out that chemical ecology focuses on their olfactory system and it is indispensable to recognize the volatile compounds that govern their behaviors (pheromones, kairomones, and plant aromas). "With this knowledge, we can design more precise management strategies", after which he warned that the goal is not to eradicate insects, but to intervene in an informed manner to regulate their populations.
The scientist clarified that to reduce the population and damage of a pest, bait-traps are used with attractants (pheromones), which prevents the insects from locating their host plants, as the compounds mask them or divert their attention, as in the case of sexual confusion. "In Chile, we are already doing this in the management of the grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana), saturating the air with pheromones that disorient the males, preventing them from finding the females for mating". Ceballos also said that it is possible to favor beneficial insects (pollinators), guiding them to their plants using volatile compounds extracted from the same plants.
Insects with extraordinary smell
The specialist revealed that insects possess olfactory receptors with simple structures, but highly versatile, that detect an enormous chemical diversity. This sensory capacity, essential for an insect's life, is also a vulnerable point, as once we understand its functionality, we can intervene in the process and use it to our advantage.
The researcher from INIA Quilamapu used the olfactory receptor MhOR5 as an example, which is part of the structure of certain insects and is capable of responding to a wide range of volatile compounds, including DEET, a well-known mosquito repellent. "This compound does not kill the insect, but interferes with its ability to detect certain smells, altering the way it behaves and reducing its ability to identify chemical substances in its environment", he emphasized.
For Ceballos, this type of discoveries has allowed the creation and consolidation of a catalog of compounds capable of specifically and controlled altering the behavior of key pests, with specific and controlled effects. This is the starting point for future pest control based on chemical ecology.
Agriculture that converses with nature
"Speaking the chemical language of insects could transform the way we manage pest insects and beneficial ones," stressed the INIA researcher. He supplemented by stating that chemical ecology offers a proposal backed by science that takes into account the evolution of insects.
"It is necessary to restore balance in agro-ecosystems, protect pollinators and natural enemies, reduce toxic residues in food and soils, and reduce the risk of insecticide resistance in order to achieve a more sustainable agriculture," he concluded.