Alarm pheromones and allelochemics as a means of aphid control

The relevance of studies on aphid-plant relationships for plant virus epidemiology is highlighted. Many behavior-modulating chemicals (semiochemicals) play a major role in intraspecific (pheromones) or interspecific (allelochemics) interrelations and therefore offer opportunities to interfere with virus transmission. Present knowledge on the role of semiochemicals in different behavioral events is emphasized using examples (alarm and sex pheromones, allelochemics involved in host selection, antifeedants) and their potential for controlling virus transmission and spread is discussed.