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Instead of applying pesticides to crops, Yoonseong Park decided to manipulate pest mating behavior by knocking out the brain chemical that transmits sexual desire. It works, and it could change the future of pesticides – except that right now, there’s no way of impacting pests.
Researchers have found a way to manipulate insect mating behavior. This discovery could limit the need for pesticides in the future, if the researchers can limit the effects merely to destructive insects. Poncie Rutsch reports.