Surprising role of female sex pheromone in crop pest points to new biocontrol possibilities

INRAE researchers have discovered that female pheromones play a remarkable role in the African cotton moth. In general, these pheromones trigger mate attraction, promoting encounters between males and females during reproductive periods. Astonishingly, the African cotton moth possesses a pheromonal compound whose modulatory effects exceed those of light itself, a discovery that can inform future biocontrol strategies. These results are published in Current Biology.