China reveals the “chemical secret” to get rid of destroyed locust swarms sciences

Locusts have always been considered a devastating gaseous for agricultural crops, and it needs to do so to only one weapon, a chemical signal that transfers from individual, peaceful creatures into a moving militant army.

Now, for the first time, scientists managed to decipher this chemical “message” that enables locusts to “speak” with each other in a secret language that pushes it to union in devastating swarms.

In a recent study published in patrol “Nature”, a team of zoologists, molecular engineers and pest control experts at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in cooperation with researchers from Beijing University, has identified enzymes and vehicles responsible for producing “4 in A”, which is the Fairomon that stimulates locusts to move from the state of unilateralism to the formation of huge swarms.

How did the researchers discover the secret of the devastating weapon?

To reach these results, the researchers have disabled some genes in the back locusts, where this Ferumon is produced, until they identified the gene responsible for an enzyme called “4 PMT1”, which in turn converts a preliminary compound known as “4 PB” into the active substance “4 in e”.

In a bolder step, the researchers tested a substance called “4-nitrofenol”, and it was able to stop this behavioral transformation in locusts when adding it to its food, which opens the door to use it as a spin on crops to prevent the formation of swarms.

“4-nitrovinol” is used as an intermediate material for the manufacture of dyes, and it enters into the manufacture of some pesticides and erosion inhibitors, but despite its effectiveness in the locust attack, it has harmful environmental effects, which is now driving the team to search for safer alternatives, which can achieve the same effect without prejudice to the environment.

A step towards getting rid of pesticides

According to the study, this discovery represents an important step towards combating locusts in a smart and safe way, away from the traditional pesticides that have always been associated with environmental and health risks.

Pesticides are the most commonly used way to combat locusts, as an atmosphere or land is sprayed on its beds or its reproduction areas, and among the most prominent pesticides used are “Malathion”, “Dellasatrin” and “Februilel”.

This tool is effective and rapidly effective, but its defects are negatively affecting the environment (polluting water and soil), and killing beneficial insects also (such as bees), and causes locust resistance when frequent use, so research teams seek safer means to resist this insect threatening food security.

One squadron of locusts can include 80 million locusts, and this number is covered by about a square kilometer, and this swarm can consume the equivalent of 35,000 people in one day, and locusts feed on almost all types of plants, from wheat to corn, rice, barley, vegetables, and even trees.