Insect-pheromones and climate change: Effects of ozone and warming on sexual communication and plant induced resistance

Pheromones mediate sexual communication within species, and (interspecific) interactions with other organisms, such as elicitation of induced plant resistance. Progress in pheromone identification has enabled their implementation in many integrated pest management (IPM) programs worldwide. In related species, qualitative and quantitative variation among pheromone components enables recognition of the right partner. Importantly, climate change may affect pheromone composition and the integrity of pheromonal communication. The study will combine the disciplines of entomology, chemistry and plant physiology to assess the effects of warming and elevated ozone on intra- and interspecific interactions mediated by insect sexual pheromones. The results will help predict the likelihood of sexual isolation being broken down and speciation occurring in the future and will shed light on plant responses to insect-derived cues. The sustainability of pheromones as an IPM tool will be determined.

The project is complemented by PIRIDAS: “Plant Induced Responses to Insect Derived Airborne Signals”, a project that leverages access to AGROSERV‘s Research Infrastructures, and that has enable to explore additional novel questions on how plants respond to insect pheromones like early responses at the cellular level, and changes at the plant level through phenotyping (AGROSERV, 2nd Transnational/Virtual Access Call, Project number: 24-C2-Agro-TNA-008). The PIRIDAS research team is formed by Francesco Sorrentino (Principal Investigator), Dr. Delia Pinto Zevallos and Prof. James D. Blande.

News release:

20.5.2026. Air pollution found to disrupt insect communication and threaten pest control strategies. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1129192