Chemical Ecology for Sustainable Insect Pest Control
Course description
This course is for Master’s students interested in how chemical signals shape insect behaviour and how this knowledge can help develop sustainable pest control. Through lectures, discussions and project work, you explore how chemical ecology contributes to future crop protection.
You gain insight into how insects use chemical signals to find food, mates and habitats, and how these interactions can be used to develop environmentally friendly pest control methods. As society seeks alternatives to conventional pesticides, chemical ecology provides innovative tools for sustainable agriculture and biodiversity protection.
The course introduces key concepts, such as semiochemicals, odour-mediated insect behaviour and multitrophic interactions, linking fundamental science to real-world crop protection challenges. You learn how chemical signals can be used to monitor pests, reduce crop damage and support integrated pest management strategies aligned with global sustainability goals.
Through lectures, scientific literature discussions, experimental design and project work, you develop skills to analyse research and design solutions for sustainable insect control. The course emphasises critical thinking and connects current research with practical applications in agriculture and horticulture.
Entry Requirements
Course facts
BI1346, Chemical Ecology for Sustainable Insect Pest Control, 15.0 Hp
Print syllabus
Syllabus
Level
Second cycle (A1N)
Main field of study
Biology, Chemistry
Grading Scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Course language
English
Entry Requirements
Objectives
The overall aim of the course is to demonstrate the current use and future potential of chemical ecology in the development of tools for use in sustainable insect monitoring and control.
On completion of the course, students will be able to:
- discuss how semiochemicals can be used to increase the sustainability of plant protection programs, in relation to UN sustainability goals
- describe the common techniques and workflows used to identify relevant semiochemicals and to develop these signals into monitoring and control tools
- discuss the complex odour-driven interactions among trophic levels in the context of plant protection
- explain the influence of chemical stimuli on insect behaviour from an ecological and evolutionary perspective
- comprehend and discuss relevant scientific articles within chemical ecology
- plan and design an experiment and implement methods relevant for the sustainable insect control
- formulate and write a scientific report based on newly generated data, and
- evaluate scientific findings by both self-evaluation and by peer-review.
Content
This course will present the main topics in chemical ecology in a sustainable crop protection perspective. The course will introduce to chemical ecology and how insect behaviour is controlled by chemical stimuli. We will discuss how insects send and receive chemical signals, and how these signals are classified. Together, we will investigate examples of chemical signals that have been developed into tools that modify a pest insect’s behaviour and provides protection to important crops. We will delve into how these tools have been developed and explore the potential for novel odour and taste-mediated control method development.
Topics include:
- insect sense of smell - morphology and function
- fundamental smell and taste chemistry, i.e. isolation and chemical identification of behaviour-activating substances
- how chemical substances, e.g. pheromones and plant compounds, affect insect behaviour
- common techniques and workflows in chemical ecology
- how pheromones and plant compounds can be used within crop protection
- how learning in insects impacts control methods.
Scheduled literature seminars, laboratory practicals, practical project work and presentations are compulsory.
Examination Formats and Requirements for Passing the Course
The examination consists of written examination plus written and oral reporting of practical tasks and laboratory work. To pass the course, a passing grade in each of the examinations as well as the assignment work is required, as is the approved participation in compulsory course components.
Responsible Department/Equivalent
Department of Plant Protection Biology
Supplementary information
Included in program
- Plant Biology for Sustainable Production - Master's Programme
- Horticultural Science - Master's Programme
- Horticultural Science Programme
Module set
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| insect-insect interactions | 3.0 | 0302 |
| insect-host interactions | 3.0 | 0303 |
| chemosensory systems | 2.0 | 0304 |
| literature seminar | 1.0 | 0305 |
| pilot project report | 3.0 | 0306 |
| pilot project presentation | 3.0 | 0307 |
The Course Replaces
BI0516, BI0914
Other Information
Basic chemistry and basic ecology is recommended.