Synthetic Insecticides – is There an Alternative?

Synthetic insecticides are very efficient in insect control but can be harmful for the environment and health. They cause disturbances in ecosystem functioning, are toxic for a wide range of non-target organisms, and have a high tendency to accumulate in the environment. Because of this, some alternatives are being sought. A good solution seems to use biologically active peptides like peptide hormones, neurohormones, or neuromodulators to regulate major processes in insects: development, growth, reproduction, and metabolism. Peptides, such as trypsin modulating oostatic factor (TMOF), pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptides (PBANs), pyrokinins (PKs), sulfakinins (SKs), and allostatins (ASTs), as well as their analogues, have been extensively studied to produce pseudopeptides and peptidomimetics used by modern agriculture in contrast to chemical insecticides.