Application of Semiochemicals and Molecular Signals in Pest Management

Dear Colleagues,

There has been a continual increase in the number of pests or harmful biology (insects, fungi, bacteria, nematodes, rats, rabbits and destructive plants) that represent problems in agricultural and forestry ecology systems. Certain aspects such as the behavior, immune system, development, etc., of pests or harmful biology could be used as new targets in ecological control measures.

Semiochemicals and molecular signals play important roles in pest or harmful biology chemical communication and signal transmission. The study of how semiochemicals and molecular signals in the environment act on pests or harmful biology for interspecific interaction and intraspecific communication and the illumination of the underlying mechanisms will allow for the formulation of corresponding management and protection strategies that have advantages in comparison to the currently available methods. Studies regarding molecular signals will lay a foundation with regard to signal transmission mechanisms for the rapid advancement of gene control in the future.

This Special Issue will focus on “Semiochemicals and molecular signals in harmful biological communication and their application in management”. We welcome novel research, reviews, and opinion pieces covering all related topics, including (1) chemical communication behavior in pests to agricultural and forestry systems or harmful biology; (2) the identification and characterization of semiochemicals derived from pests or harmful biology themselves (pheromones) and host plants, natural enemies, symbiotic fungi, bacteria volatiles, parasitic nematodes, rats, rabbits and destructive plants (allelochemicals) under laboratory conditions; (3) the field application of these semiochemicals; (4) molecular signal transmission mechanisms and screening; the characteristic and function verification of candidate genes or proteins with harmful biology in agricultural and forestry ecology systems.

Prof. Dr. Peng-Fei Lu
Dr. Lilin Zhao
Dr. Hai-Li Qiao
Guest Editors

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