Emerging Trends in Chemical Ecology: Towards Sustainable and Scalable Pest Management Solutions
A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Pest and Vector Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 1421
Editor
Interests: natural products; chemical ecology; semiochemicals; microbial toxins; IPM; insect attractants; pheromones; kairomones; natural metabolites formulation; slow release sytems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Chemical ecology is undergoing a significant transformation—from fundamental research to the development of practical, scalable, and sustainable pest management strategies. This evolving field is increasingly recognized for its crucial role in reducing chemical pesticide use, enhancing biodiversity, and supporting the transition to organic and climate-smart agriculture. Environmentally friendly and low-carbon-footprint methods are gaining prominence given that they align with key European Commission policy frameworks, such as the Green Deal’s Farm to Fork Strategy and the EU Biodiversity Strategy, which promote food system sustainability and the protection of ecosystems.
The integration of innovative biotechnologies and precision agriculture practices offers sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective solutions for pest control without the accumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). These developments support eco-friendly agricultural practices that respect biodiversity and minimize environmental impact.
This Special Issue will highlight research on emerging trends in chemical ecology, with topics of interest including, but not limited to, the following:
- Semiochemical production and formulation;
- Field deployment techniques and technologies;
- Precision agriculture and targeted application systems;
- Natural metabolites from plants, insects, and microorganisms;
- Integration of semiochemicals into Integrated Pest Management (IPM) frameworks;
- Induced plant resistance against herbivores;
- Insect behavioral and physiological adaptations to climate change.
We welcome contributions that provide new insights, report novel developments, and offer fresh perspectives that bridge basic science and applied pest management.
Dr. Maria Konstantopoulou
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- semiochemicals
- precision agriculture
- IPM
- field application systems
- formulation
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