Commercialization of behavioral controls in the United States

Authors: WALLINGFORD, ANNA - New Hampshire Community Supported Research; Herlihy, Megan; Sigman, Jessica; BEN-ZVI, YAHEL - Rutgers University; RODRIGUEZ-SAONA, CESAR - Rutgers University; Weber, Donald

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/17/2026
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Agriculture needs new tools to use in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of key insect pests for protection of agricultural crops. Reliance on limited tools for pest management may result in pesticide resistance, lack of efficacy, and undesirable environmental effects. Semiochemicals (chemical signals including pheromones) can be used in very selective behavioral control of insect pests, including mating disruption, mass trapping, attract-and-kill, deterrents/repellents and push-pull strategies. Adoption has the potential to increase pest management efficacy, reduce costs, and decrease environmental impacts. The first step is discovery of pheromones and/or other semiochemicals, but many other steps are necessary before eventual development and adoption of these tools as effective pest management tools using behavioral control. Here we review what these steps are, and how many pests are at different stages in the process of commercialization, as evidenced by a systematic literature review. We explore the potential barriers to commercialization and adoption of behavioral controls, at different stages of research and development, as well as regulatory and market influences on commercialization. Commercialization and widespread adoption of behavioral controls in agricultural IPM is still relatively rare in the US. We provide examples of the most promising behavioral controls already commercialized, or under development, for IPM of crop systems, and identify incentives and barriers that will assist commercialization of appropriate behavioral controls as components of IPM. The results of this review should interest researchers in chemical ecology, pheromone manufacturers and formulators, and pest managers and growers interested in adopting behavioral controls as part of IPM.

Technical Abstract: Chemical ecology explores interactions among organisms and their environment, identifying critical chemical signals (semiochemicals) produced by other organisms in shared habitats. Advances in this field have contributed to the development of behavioral controls for Integrated Pest Management (IPM), such as mating disruption, mass trapping, attract-and-kill, deterrents/repellents and push-pull strategies. Adoption of these tools and techniques could result in a shift from a reliance on pesticide-based control. However, commercialization and widespread adoption of behavioral controls in agricultural IPM is relatively rare in the US. Here we highlight the most promising behavioral controls developed for IPM of crop systems, and explore the potential barriers to commercialization and adoption of behavioral controls, by summarizing the stages of research and development, as well as regulatory and market influences on commercialization.