Mass-trapping, mating-disruption and attracticide methods for managing stored-product insects : success stories and research needs

Purpose of review: Pheromones are promising tools for monitoring and control of stored-product insect pests. In recent years, considerable progress has been made using pheromones for mass-trapping, mating-disruption and attracticide methods for beetle and moth pests associated with stored products. Findings: In integrated pest management (IPM) programs for stored products the use of pheromones can lead to a drastic reduction of chemical treatments, with economic advantages and improvement of food quality. Crucial factors for IPM in stored-products include understanding factors that regulate ecosystems, monitoring insect populations, maintaining good records and using this information to make sound management decisions. Successful IPM programs should complement other preventive pest management techniques such as sanitation, stock rotation, pest exclusion practices, and inspection of inbound and outbound materials. Directions for future research: In this review, we report on some promising results that offer efficient detection and control of storedproduct pests with pheromones and highlight a number of questions to be answered in order to improve the reliability and competitiveness of the methods used.