Semiochemicals : The Future Of Pest Control

The Revolution of chemical pesticides in industry and agricultural production which began with the discovery of DDT insecticidal properties by Paul Hermann Muller in 1939 (Noble Prize in medicine 1948) started its decline (as a false revolution) in 1962 with the deceleration of Rachel Carson in her magnificent book " The Silent Spring " about the harmful effects of chemical pesticides on both the environment and human health. The true revolution - from the aspect of pest control - has begun in 1959 ( 20 years after the false one ) with the discovery and identification of the first insect pheromone, Bombykol, the silk worm Bombyx mori sex - pheromone by Adolf Friedrich Johann Butenandt ( The Noble Prize in Chemistry 1939, discovery of human female sex - hormones, estrone and other primary female sex hormones, received in 1949). Since then Semiochemicals (especially pheromones and Kairomones) have been pointed out as the future tool of the integrated pest management (IPM).