Pheromone

What Does Pheromone Mean?

Pheromones refer to the chemical mixture that is released by a variety of species. This chemical mixture normally affects the behavior or physiology of other members belonging to the same species. In plants, pheromones are diffused to attract bees and other pollinators in order to encourage pollination. Because of their capacity to draw bees and various pollinators, pheromones are also excellent agents for pest control.

Maximum Yield Explains Pheromone

Along with the diffusion of pheromones, the plants also use flower shapes, nectar glands, color, and heat to encourage pollination. Pheromones consist of semiochemicals that pass information between various members of the same species. These semiochemicals are placed in the organism’s environment or diffused directly into the air in order to reach other similar species for response and interpretation. While other members of the same species can recognize these pheromones, the semiochemicals can act as an allelochemical to other species.

According to botanists, pheromones are generally categorized by the type of message they carry: alarm, stimulant, arrestant, repellant, attractant, aggregation, marker and trail pheromones. As far as pest control is concerned, pheromones diffuse semiochemicals to draw certain types of insects while repellant pheromones are used to drive other insect species away from the plants. In some cases, pheromones can be used alongside pesticides and insecticides in integrated pest management techniques.