Attracting Scelionidae egg parasitoids to enhance stink bug egg parasitisation in soybean crops using methyl salicylate and (E,E)-α-farnesene.

BACKGROUND: Plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play a crucial role in mediating interactions between plants, herbivores and natural enemies. Among these VOCs, methyl salicylate and (E,E)-α-farnesene are emitted as herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) by soybean plants in response to feeding by the brown stink bug Eushistus heros. These HIPVs function as synomones, influencing the foraging behaviour of the egg parasitoid, Telenomus podisi, the main natural enemy of E. heros, one of the major soybean pests in Brazil. RESULTS: Laboratory experiments showed that two soybean cultivars, BRS 7580 and BRS 7880, produced similar qualitative blends of HIPVs, with methyl salicylate, (E,E)-α-farnesene and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate being produced by both cultivars. Soybean cultivar BRS 7580 produced a significant lower amount of HIPVs compared to BRS 7880 but this difference did not affect the attractiveness of the egg parasitoid Telenomus podisi. Field experiments using these two cultivars and synthetic applications of methyl salicylate and (E,E)-α-farnesene showed a substantial increase in egg parasitism in all treated areas. Parasitism rates ranged from 50% to 80% in areas where these HIPVs were deployed, compared to only 10% in untreated control areas. CONCLUSIONS: The egg parasitoid Telenomus podisi demonstrated an adept ability in recognising between HIPVs in soybean blends, even in the presence of significant quantitative differences. The results from the field experiment showed the potential of HIPVs in attracting natural enemies to specific target areas within fields. (E,E)-α-Farnesene showed an improved action during the later stages of soybean growth, notably at R6. In addition, this volatile attracted other families of natural enemies. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Protective Geometry and Reproductive Anatomy as Candidate Determinants of Clutch Size Variation in Pentatomid Bugs.

AbstractMany animals lay their eggs in clusters. Eggs on the periphery of clusters can be at higher risk of mortality. We asked whether the most commonly occurring clutch sizes in pentatomid bugs could result from geometrical arrangements that maximize the proportion of eggs in the cluster's interior. Although the most common clutch sizes do not correspond with geometric optimality, stink bugs do tend to lay clusters of eggs in shapes that protect increasing proportions of their offspring as clutch sizes increase. We also considered whether ovariole number, an aspect of reproductive anatomy that may be a fixed trait across many pentatomids, could explain observed distributions of clutch sizes. The most common clutch sizes across many species correspond with multiples of ovariole number. However, there are species with the same number of ovarioles that lay clutches of widely varying size, among which multiples of ovariole number are not overrepresented. In pentatomid bugs, reproductive anatomy appears to be more important than egg mass geometry in determining clutch size uniformity. In addition, our analysis demonstrates that groups of animals with little variation in ovariole number may nonetheless lay a broad range of clutch shapes and sizes.

Detection and evaluation of volatile and non-volatile antifungal compounds produced by Bacillus spp. strains.

The identification of antifungal compounds produced by microorganisms is crucial in the context of sustainable agriculture. Bacteria of the genus Bacillus have a broad spectrum of action that can influence plant growth and control pests, vectors of public health relevance and phytopathogens. Lipopeptides are the main compounds related to the biological control of several pathogen species. Strains with biotechnological potential are identified by means of in vitro bioassays and molecular tests. In this study, strains from the Bacillus Bank of Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA/DF/Brazil) were selected to control the fungal pathogens Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Fusarium oxysporum by pairing assays. The detection of genes for biosynthesis of antifungal compounds from strains with high pathogen-inhibition capacity was correlated with peptide synthesis, such as bacillomycin D, fengycin d, bacilysin and surfactin. Their gene expression in contact with the pathogen was analyzed by Real-Time PCR. The volatile organic compounds produced by selected Bacillus strains were identified and quantified. In co-culture assays, the inhibition zone between Bacillus strains and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Thirteen potentially anti-pathogenic strains were selected. Genes related to the synthesis of antifungal peptides were detected in 11 of them. In five strains, all tested genes were detected. Bacillomycin was the most frequently found lipopeptide gene. The fungus-bacteria interaction potentiated the production of volatiles. Several ketones and other volatile compounds with antifungal activity were identified. Relevant morphological changes in the fungus were observed when paired with bacteria. The study demonstrated the efficacy of the selected strains with regard to the biological control of phytopathogens and their biotechnological potential.

Cecum perforation by plug migration: an unexpected late complication of inguinal hernia mesh repair.

Case of a 79-year-old male previously submitted to Rutkow-Robbins inguinal hernia repair. He presented himself at the Emergency Room with an inguinal inflammatory mass and bowel obstruction for 5 days. A strangulated recurrent inguinal hernia was assumed and emergency surgery was performed. Since an inguinal abscess was present, a midline laparotomy was performed. The previous polypropylene plug was found in an intraperitoneal position, fistulizing to the cecum and creating a 2 cm wide perforation, without intraperitoneal collections or bowel compromise. An en bloc atypical resection of the cecum with the plug was performed and the abdominal wall abscess was drained. The patient had a slow, but uneventful postoperative course. Given the rarity of cases, the high variability of clinical presentation and the potential seriousness of mesh migration complications, the authors review the topic of mesh migration.

Synthesis of an organic-inorganic composite from calcium carbonate and Kraft lignin and its use as carrier material for controlled release of semiochemical agents.

The control of pests in agricultural systems is currently based on the widespread use of pesticides that efficiently control pests but have negative effects on the environment and humans. Thus, several studies have been conducted to develop alternative sustainable ways to control pests in agriculture. The use of semiochemicals presents a good alternative to develop a sustainable tool monitoring and control insect pests in crops areas. The dispensing carriers of semiochemicals are typically made of non-degradable material, often petroleum derivatives such as butyl rubber, that become polluting waste after application. To develop a biodegradable and low-cost dispenser for semiochemicals, particles of CaCO3 and a CaCO3/Kraft lignin composite were synthesized using CO2 bubbling, characterized and evaluated for 30 days as a dispenser of the limonene molecule, which is a common semiochemical in plants and also pheromone component is some insect species, such as the lesser mealworm Alphitobius diaperinus. Furthermore, limonene is volatile molecule that is easy to acquire and low-cost, which makes it an ideal semiochemical to evaluate the potential of the CaCO3 particles and CaCO3/Kraft lignin composite as a semiochemical dispenser for use in agriculture. The pure calcium carbonate I, pure calcium carbonate II, and composite I synthesized particles presented a larger specific surface area than the other composites. All the particles evaluated showed a slow limonene release rate between the 5th and 30th days evaluated, indicating the potential of these materials as pheromone dispensers. The composites with higher specific surface area, calcium carbonate II (19.5 m2/g) and composite I (23.1 m2/g), released a higher level of limonene during the 30 days evaluated.

3D surface reconstruction of the femur and tibia from parallel 2D contours.

BACKGROUND: Segmented structures, such as bones, are typically stored as 2D contours contained on evenly spaced images (slices). Contour interpolation algorithms to turn 2D contours into a 3D surface may differ in their results, causing discrepancies in analysis. This study aimed to create an accurate and consistent algorithm for the interpolation of femur and tibial contours that can be used in computer-assisted surgical navigation systems. METHODS: The implemented algorithm performs contour interpolation in a step-by-step manner, determining an optimal surface between each pair of consecutive contours. Determining such a surface is reduced to the problem of finding certain minimum-cost cycles in a directed toroidal graph. The algorithm assumes that the contours are ordered. The first step in the algorithm is the determination of branching patterns, followed by the removal of keyholes from contours, optimization of a target function based on the surface area, and mesh triangulation based on the optimization results and mesh seal. RESULTS: The algorithm was tested on contours segmented on computed tomography images from femoral and tibial specimens; it was able to generate qualitatively good 3D meshes from the set of 2D contours for all the tested examples. CONCLUSION: The contour interpolation algorithm proved to be quite effective using optimization based on minimizing the area of the triangles that form the 3D surface. The algorithm can be used for the 3D reconstruction of other types of 2D cuts, but special attention must be paid with the branches, since the proposed algorithm is not designed for complex branching structures.

Companion and Smart Plants: Scientific Background to Promote Conservation Biological Control.

To attain sustainable agricultural crop protection, tools such as host plant resistance, enhanced ecosystem services (i.e. conserving natural enemies) and the deployment of companion plants should be promoted in pest management programmes. These agro system manipulations could be based on chemical ecology studies considering the interactions with natural enemies and pests, regarding specifically plant defence signalling. Further, new crop protection strategies might rise from widening the knowledge regarding how herbivore-induced plant volatiles can govern a multifaceted defence response including natural enemy recruitment, pest repellence or induced defence in neighbouring plants. It is crucial to use a multitrophic approach to understand better the interactions involving companion plants, herbivores and natural enemies in the field, increasing the knowledge to build more efficient and sustainable pest management strategies. In this review, we explore the perspectives of companion plants and their semiochemicals to promote conservation biological control according to the 'smart plants' concept. Further, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using companion plants and explore the application of companion plants in different agroecosystems using several case studies.

Stink Bug Communication and Signal Detection in a Plant Environment.

Plants influenced the evolution of plant-dwelling stink bugs' systems underlying communication with chemical and substrate-borne vibratory signals. Plant volatiles provides cues that increase attractiveness or interfere with the probability of finding a mate in the field. Mechanical properties of herbaceous hosts and associated plants alter the frequency, amplitude, and temporal characteristics of stink bug species and sex-specific vibratory signals. The specificity of pheromone odor tuning has evolved through highly specific odorant receptors located within the receptor membrane. The narrow-band low-frequency characteristics of the signals produced by abdomen vibration and the frequency tuning of the highly sensitive subgenual organ vibration receptors match with filtering properties of the plants enabling optimized communication. A range of less sensitive mechanoreceptors, tuned to lower vibration frequencies, detect signals produced by other mechanisms used at less species-specific levels of communication in a plant environment. Whereas the encoding of frequency-intensity and temporal parameters of stink bug vibratory signals is relatively well investigated at low levels of processing in the ventral nerve cord, processing of this information and its integration with other modalities at higher neuronal levels still needs research attention.

Bone regeneration using Wollastonite/ß-TCP scaffolds implants in critical bone defect in rat calvaria.

In order to provide favorable conditions for bone regeneration, a lot of biomaterials have been developed and evaluated, worldwide. Composite biomaterials have gained notoriety, as they combine desirable properties of each isolated material. Thus, in this research, bone repair capacity of three developed formulations of ceramic scaffolds were evaluated histomorphometrically, after implantation. Scaffolds were based on wollastonite (W) andß-tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP) composites in three different ratios (wt.%). ThirtyWistarrats were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: W-20 (20 W/80ß-TCP wt.%), W-60 (60 W/40ß-TCP wt.%), and W-80 (80 W/20ß-TCP wt.%), evaluated by optical microscopy at biological tests after 15 and 45 days of implantation. Throughout the study, the histological results evidenced that the scaffolds remained at the implantation site, were biocompatible and presented osteogenic potential. The percentage of neoformed mineralized tissue was more evident in the W-20 group (51%), at 45 days. The composite of the W-80 group showed more evident biodegradation than the biomaterials of the W-20 and W-60 groups. Thus, it is concluded that the scaffold containing 20 W/80ß-TCP (wt.%) promoted more evident bone formation, but all composites evaluated in this study showed notorious bioactivity and promising characteristics for clinical application.

Inhibitory Copulation Effect of Vibrational Rival Female Signals of Three Stink Bug Species as a Tool for Mating Disruption.

Stink bugs are major pests in diverse crops around the world. Pest management strategies based on insect behavioral manipulation could help to develop biorational management strategies of stink bugs. Insect mating disruption using vibratory signals is an approach with high potential for pest management. The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of conspecific female rival signals on the mating behavior and copulation of three stink bug species to establish their potential for mating disruption. Previously recorded female rival signals were played back to bean plants where pairs of the Neotropical brown stink bug, Euschistus heros, and two green stink bugs, Chinavia ubica and Chinavia impicticornis were placed. Vibratory communication and mating behavior were recorded for each pair throughout the experimental time (20 min). Female rival signals show a disrupting effect on the reproductive behavior of three conspecific investigated stink bug species. This effect was more clearly expressed in E. heros and C. ubica than in C. impicticornis. The likelihood of copulating in pairs placed on control plants, without rival signals, increased 29.41 times in E. heros, 4.6 times in C. ubica and 1.71 times in C. impicticornis. However, in the last case, the effect of female rivalry signals in copulation was not significant. The effect of mating disruption of female rival signals of the three stink bug species may originate from the observed reduction in specific vibratory communication signals emitted, which influences the duet formation and further development of different phases of mating behavior. Our results suggest that female rival signals have potential for application in manipulation and disruption of mating behavior of stink bugs. Further work needs to focus on the effects of female rival signals used in long duration experiments and also their interactions with chemical communication of stink bugs.

Field Responses of Rice Stalk Stink Bug, Tibraca limbativentris, to Synthetic Sex Pheromone and Isomers of 1,10-Bisaboladien-3-ol.

The rice stalk stink bug, Tibraca limbativentris Stål, is an important rice pest in Brazil, causing significant damage to rice plants and consequently yield losses, with a high invasive potential in Mexico and USA. The male-produced sex pheromone of this species was recently identified as a 7:3 mixture of (3S,6S,7R)-1,10-bisaboladien-3-ol (1) and (3R,6S,7R)-1,10-bisaboladien-3-ol (5) (a.k.a. zingiberenols). The aim of this study was to evaluate field responses of T. limbativentris females to the racemic mixture and stereoisomers of 1,10-bisaboladien-3-ol, including the male-produced sex pheromone. The results obtained in two rice-producing areas of Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina) showed that traps baited with the main component 1 alone, the racemic mixture, and a mixture of 1 and 5 were attractive to females of T. limbativentris. The minor component 5 was unable to attract females when used alone. The results indicate that the sex pheromone of T. limbativentris and racemic mixture of 1,10-bisaboladien-3-ol were equally attractive to co-specific females in rice fields, and they could be a tool to incorporate in rice stalk stink bug management programs.

Inefficient weapon-the role of plant secondary metabolites in cotton defence against the boll weevil.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Cotton genotypes displayed similar volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles, but major differences in terpenoid aldehyde (TA) content. The differences in VOC production were minor among genotypes, but these differences are crucial for boll weevil attraction. Weevils did not display any preference in feeding behaviour towards cotton genotypes, suggesting physiological adaptation to cope with cotton chemical defence mechanisms. Plant cultivar selection for resistance to herbivore pests is an effective, environmentally safe and inexpensive method to implement in integrated pest management programmes. In this study, we evaluated seven cotton genotypes with respect to the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and non-volatile compounds [terpenoid aldehydes (TAs)], and the attraction and feeding preference of adult boll weevils. Chemical analyses of VOCs from BRS-293, BRS-Rubi, CNPA TB-15, CNPA TB-85, CNPA TB-90, Delta Opal, and Empire Glandless showed that there were few qualitative and quantitative differences across the range of genotypes. In contrast, major differences in TA content were observed, with CNPA TB-15 and CNPA TB-85 producing higher levels of TAs compared to the other genotypes. Our results showed that boll weevil attraction to cotton genotypes varied, suggesting that the ratios and quantities of emitted cotton VOCs are important for host location. However, boll weevil feeding behaviour was neither positively nor negatively influenced by the terpenoid content (non-volatile compounds) of cotton genotypes. The results in this study suggest that boll weevils have adapted physiologically to cope with cotton chemical defence mechanisms.

Absolute Configurations of Stink Bug- and Plant-Produced Sesquipiperitols via Synthesis of All Stereoisomers.

Sesquipiperitol is a sesquiterpene alcohol, some stereoisomers of which were found in several plant species. The biological role of these compounds in plants and their absolute configurations have not been reported. Recently, we found that 1S,6S,7R stereoisomer of sesquipiperitol was a key precursor in the biosynthesis of the harlequin bug, Murgantia histrionica, pheromone, which consists of two stereoisomeric zingiberenol oxides. In addition, the Tibraca limbativentris stink bug was shown to produce two sesquipiperitol stereoisomers as minor components in their male-produced sex pheromone, the main constituents of which were zingiberenols. To determine absolute configurations of plant- and stink-bug-produced sesquipiperitols, we undertook syntheses of all stereoisomers of this sesquiterpene alcohol. The syntheses were based on 1,10-bisaboladien-3-ols (aka zingiberenols) with known configurations at C-6 and C-7, the oxidation of which provided sesquipiperitone precursors with retention of configurations of these stereogenic centers. The foremost challenge of the synthetic endeavor was the assignment of absolute configurations of secondary carbinol centers, which was resolved by NMR analyses of corresponding Mosher's esters. Thus, the availability of all eight diastereomers allowed us to assign sesquipiperitols from Fitzroya cupressoides and Argyranthemum adauctum spp. jacobaeifolium plants 1S,6S,7R (16) and 1R,6R,7S (14) configurations, respectively. A chiral-phase gas-chromatographic method was developed to determine 1S,6S,7R and 1R,6S,7R (15) configurations of T. limbativentris sesquipiperitol pheromone components.

Age-related differences during visual search: the role of contextual expectations and cognitive control mechanisms.

During the visual search, cognitive control mechanisms activate to inhibit distracting information and efficiently orient attention towards contextually relevant regions likely to contain the search target. Cognitive ageing is known to hinder cognitive control mechanisms, however little is known about their interplay with contextual expectations, and their role in visual search. In two eye-tracking experiments, we compared the performance of a younger and an older group of participants searching for a target object varying in semantic consistency with the search scene (e.g., a basket of bread vs. a clothes iron in a restaurant scene) after being primed with contextual information either congruent or incongruent with it (e.g., a restaurant vs. a bathroom). Primes were administered either as scenes (Experiment 1) or words (Experiment 2, which included scrambled words as neutral primes). Participants also completed two inhibition tasks (Stroop and Flanker) to assess their cognitive control. Older adults had greater difficulty than younger adults when searching for inconsistent objects, especially when primed with congruent information (Experiment 1), or a scrambled word (neutral condition, Experiment 2). When the target object violates the semantics of the search context, congruent expectations or perceptual distractors, have to be suppressed through cognitive control, as they are irrelevant to the search. In fact, higher cognitive control, especially in older participants, was associated with better target detection in these more challenging conditions, although it did not influence eye-movement responses. These results shed new light on the links between cognitive control, contextual expectations and visual attention in healthy ageing.

An iflavirus found in stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) of four different species.

An analysis of transcriptomes from the antennae of the three South American stink bugs (Euschistus heros, Chinavia ubica, and Dichelops melacanthus) revealed the presence of picorna-like virus genome-length RNAs with high sequence identity to the genome of Halyomorpha halys virus (HhV), originally discovered in the transcriptome of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys. Features of the genome, phylogenetic relationships to other viruses, and the appearances of virus-like particles isolated from host stink bugs all confirm that these viruses are iflaviruses and isolates of an undescribed species. Iflavirus RNAs were present at high levels (40%-90% of transcriptome reads) in the stink bug antennal transcriptomes. In whole-insect transcriptomes of H. halys, HhV reads were >500-fold more abundant in adults than in nymphs. We identified from field population a subject of species E. heros infected by this iflavirus. The results of the analysis suggest that these iflaviruses are able to produce large quantities of their RNAs without causing any obvious pathology to their hosts.

Anthonomus grandis aggregation pheromone induces cotton indirect defence and attracts the parasitic wasp Bracon vulgaris.

Insect-derived volatiles seem to provide reliable chemical cues that plants could employ to defend themselves. Here we investigated the effect of pheromone emission from a closely associated (Anthonomus grandis; boll weevil) and an unassociated (Tibraca limbativentris) herbivore on cotton volatile emission. Exposure to A. grandis aggregation pheromone induced cotton defence response by enhancing the emission of volatiles attractive to the natural enemy of A. grandis, the parasitic wasp Bracon vulgaris, but only when the pheromonal blend was complete (all four components). Individual components of A. grandis aggregation pheromone were not able to induce cotton plants to increase the release of volatiles. On the other hand, T. limbativentris sex pheromone did not induce any change in the cotton constitutive volatile profile. Our results support the hypothesis that plants are able to detect pheromones of tightly co-evolved herbivores. Moreover, A. grandis pheromone exposure induced similar volatile compounds to herbivore-induced cotton, such as linalool, (E)-ocimene, (E)-4,8-dimethylnona-1,3,7-triene (DMNT), and (E,E)-4,8,12-trimethyltrideca-1,3,7,11-tetraene (TMTT). We also showed that the larval ectoparasitoid B. vulgaris relies on boll weevil's aggregation pheromone and pheromone-induced plant volatiles as kairomones to locate suitable hosts.

Development of pull and push-pull systems for management of lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus, in poultry houses using alarm and aggregation pheromones.

BACKGROUND: The lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), is the most important insect pest affecting poultry production around the world, with all life stages being susceptible to infection by bacteria, viruses and fungi. Control of A. diaperinus in poultry houses using intensive insecticide application is not effective due to the cryptic behaviour of this pest. Here, we evaluated the potential of recently identified A. diaperinus alarm (1,4-benzoquinone, 2-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone and 2-ethyl-1,4-benzoquinone) and aggregation [(R)-limonene, 2-nonanone, (E)-ocimene, (S)-linalool, (R)-daucene and (E,E)-α-farnesene] pheromones as tools for the management of this pest in poultry houses in Brazil. RESULTS: Laboratory arena assays with synthetic alarm pheromone confirmed A. diaperinus repellency. In an initial field assay, traps baited with synthetic aggregation pheromone captured significantly more insects than control traps. In further field assays that compared a pull (aggregation pheromone) and a push-pull (simultaneous alarm/aggregation pheromone deployment) system, a higher number of A. diaperinus were captured in aggregation pheromone-baited traps in the push-pull system. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that alarm and aggregation pheromones can be deployed in poultry houses to trap significant numbers of adult A. diaperinus. Studies are underway to determine the potential for using these components as part of an integrated A. diaperinus management strategy. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Diversity of Stink Bug Adults and Their Parasitoids in Soybean Crops in Brazil: Influence of a Latitudinal Gradient and Insecticide Application Intensity.

Over the last 50 yr, the geographical distribution of soybean crop production in Brazil has expanded from the southern region to Maranhão state in the north. We evaluated if this latitudinal expansion affected the community of stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and their parasitoids. The fauna of stink bugs and their adult parasitoids were studied in nine soybean production regions in Brazil. Stink bugs were sampled using a shake cloth and and held in laboratory cages with natural diet to await emergence of parasitoids. Stink bug and parasitoid species composition did not shift along the latitudinal gradient. Euschistus heros (Fabricius, 1798) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) was the most abundant stink bug and occurred in all sampling regions. Hexacladia smithii Ashmead, 1891 (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), Cylindromyia brasiliana (Townsend, 1927), Ectophasiopsis sp., Eutrichopoda sp., Gymnoclytia sp., Phasia sp., and Trichopoda sp. (Diptera: Tachinidae) were the parasitoid adult stink bugs that we registered. Parasitism indexes were low, ranging from 0.77 to 6.05% through the regions. On the other hand, parasitism rates were higher in areas with reduced insecticide application in comparison to areas with intensive insecticide use.

Tools for detecting insect semiochemicals: a review.

Semiochemicals are chemical compounds that are released by many species as a means of intra- and interspecific communication. Insects have extremely advanced olfactory systems; indeed, they rely on smell when performing many of their main behaviors, such as oviposition, breeding, prey location, and defense. This characteristic of insects implies that semiochemicals could be used for various applications, including in agriculture, where they could be employed along with other tools to control pest insects. The aim of this review is to present the main techniques used and the state of the art in the detection of semiochemicals, focusing on pheromones. In addition to the traditional methods of identifying semiochemicals, such as gas chromatography coupled to a high-resolution detection mode (e.g., flame ionization (FID), electron capture (ECD), photoionization (PID), or mass spectrometry (MS)), other tools are addressed in this review, including sensors and biosensors. While these new technologies may be used under laboratory conditions to improve or complement technologies that are already being used, they are mainly intended for use as new agricultural tools for detecting and controlling pest insects in the field.