Chemical Ecology in Biosecurity

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Chemical ecology has been useful in various aspects of biosecurity that requires dynamic multidisciplinary practices. Some techniques and research outcomes have already been incorporated as routine practices in biosecurity, while many others are yet to come. Many pheromones and other semiochemicals have been being used as highly sensitive, species-specific detection and surveillance tools. When different species interact each other, specific volatile chemicals are often produced. Detection of these specific signature volatile compounds can also be used as an early diagnostic tool. Highly sensitive and discriminating olfactory tissues can be used as low-level chemical sensors. Risk analysis is an important component of biosecurity program. The range of host plants may be predictable by using information on ORN response profiles of a given species and on volatile chemical profiles of the candidate plants. In a study using two Cydia species as a model system, we hypothesize that combinational input from two different groups of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), antagonist ORNs and agonist ORNs, may play a key role in discriminating host plants from non-host plants. Semiochemicals can be used as delimitation and eradication tools against invading species. For example, mass trapping with pheromone traps, combined with some other means such as sterile insect technique, effectively eradicated the painted apple moth, an invasive species, in New Zealand. A cooperative research program among New Zealand, USA and Australia is currently underway to use semiochemicals to eradicate the light brown apple moth invading California. Chemical ecology in aquatic environment has been poorly understood. Semiochemicals for marine organisms would also be useful to improve marine biosecurity.