Pheromone Trap: analysing the factors helpful in mitigating the use of chemical insecticides for sustainable practice in storing food product commodities

Abstract

The insects infest by laying eggs on or inside the grains / processed food and consecutively develop larvae, pupae, and emerge as adults. The whole cycle is repeated, leading to the destruction of the stored products. The use of chemical insecticides recurrently reduces the commercial value of the products. This review describes the factors affecting efficiency of pheromone traps capture of red flour beetle that will help mitigate the use of chemical insecticide. Different aspects related to pheromone production, registration, and its recent applications were also discussed. External factors like airflow, food availability, and climatic conditions (e.g., seasonal activity in colder regions) critically impact trap performance. Internal factors such as food deprivation, presence of dead insects (repellent effect), and prior captures alter beetle attraction to traps. Pheromone traps are valuable for monitoring infestation hotspots and timing management interventions but require optimized lure longevity and controlled release mechanisms. Insect traps like UV and light trap were only used for monitoring as they are unable to distinguish beneficial insects which pheromone trap can. Among the different trap designs studied, pitfall trap showed promising results.