Mating Disruption as a Pest Management Strategy: Expanding Applications in Stored Product Protection

Mating disruption (MD) is an environmentally friendly pest management approach that uses synthetic pheromones to interfere with insect mate location and reproduction. This review summarizes current progress in the application of MD for stored-product pests, with emphasis on Lepidoptera (Plodia interpunctella Hübner and Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Pyralidae)) and Coleoptera (Sitophilus spp. (Curculionidae)). For moth pests, numerous studies have demonstrated substantial suppression of mating and population growth under both laboratory and field conditions, particularly when MD is integrated with sanitation, monitoring and other IPM measures. Conversely, MD applications against beetles have been less successful due to their aggregation-based communication and lower volatility of their pheromones. Advances in pheromone formulation technology, including polymer dispensers, microencapsulated sprays and aerosol emitters, have improved pheromone stability and controlled release, although achieving uniform coverage in large and aerated storage environments remains challenging. The integration of MD with biological control, temperature management and reduced fumigant use offers promising directions for sustainable pest suppression. Continued development of smart-release devices, long-term field validation and integration with automated monitoring systems will further enhance the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of MD. Overall, MD represents a key behavioral component in reducing pesticide reliance and promoting sustainable management of stored-product pests.