Holistic management of pollinators and pests: Integrating semiochemicals with on-farm pesticides

Authors: Okosun, Olabimpe; Reddy, Gadi V.P.

Submitted to: Annals of the Entomological Society of America
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/12/2021
Publication Date: 9/6/2021
Citation: Okosun, O.O., Reddy, G.V. 2021. Holistic management of pollinators and pests: Integrating semiochemicals with on-farm pesticides. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 114:1-13. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/saab035.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/saab035

Interpretive Summary: Maximum crop yield is dependent on many factors which include the successful interactions of plants and insects. These interactions are multi-trophic between plants and various insect herbivores, predators, pathogens, and insect pollinators. In nature, most plants attract both pollinators and insect herbivores which impact fitness and consequently crop yield. Herbivory-induced plant volatiles mediate a wide range of ecological interactions between plants, and its communities and these interactions may be negative or positive. Negative interactions can be costly to growers if herbivore activities caused damage to plants, reducing crop yield. Conversely these interactions can be beneficial if consumer activities result in higher levels of needed ecosystem services, such as better pollination or higher predation on pests by their natural enemies. To have a productive agroecosystem, there is a need to understand these interactions, which affect the quality of food, feed, and fiber crops. Semiochemicals involved in these interactions have been studied and used as monitoring tools as part of integrated pest management programs. However, in many cases, use of these semiochemical insect trapping techniques, which are less toxic compared to pesticides, may not be pollinator friendly. Also, exposure to some new selective insecticides and biopesticides could posed risks to pollinators. Different iintegrated approach to minimize the impacts of pest management on pollinators assemblage within the agroecosystems are discussed.

Technical Abstract: Insect pollinators and insect herbivores both affect plant reproduction and fitness. Floral displays are used to attract and manipulate pollinators’ behavior to support plant sexual reproduction, while using nectar and pollen as attractants. These plant-pollinator interactions use various semiochemicals as important communication channels for successful species interaction networks. However, floral scents can also attract insect herbivores (in which case they act as kairomones). Consequently, semiochemical-based traps used for monitoring pest insects in crop fields often accidentally capture pollinators, and therefore these interactions simultaneously affect pest monitoring, pollinator assemblages, and food production in agroecosystems. We propose an integrated interdisciplinary approach that would use inter- and intraspecific signals employed by foraging insects for predator’s avoidance with the goal of deterring pollinators and beneficial insects from entering pesticide-treated fields. Specifically, it should be possible to reduce the bycatch of pollinators by pest monitoring traps if these traps’ lures also include the alarm pheromones of insect pollinators. In addition, other tactics for pollinator protection could include first the application of non-lethal repellants to fields that have recently been treated with synthetic chemical pesticides to deter pollinators visitation. A second action would be to incorporate the results of comparative risk evaluations (pollinators vs. pests) for botanical pesticides, as well as for synthetic pesticides. Finally, we urge that wild pollinator species be included in pesticide risk assessments, especially for new classes of insecticides. Collectively, these actions should integrate pest and pollinator management strategies.