PHYTOCHEMICAL DEFENSES TARGETING INSECT BEHAVIOR

Insect transmitted diseases are responsible for over 1 million deaths annually and cause morbidity in millions more. Personal repellents are the first line of defense against biting insects. However, the safety of certain synthetic repellents has been called into question and res earch pursuing alternatives has intensified. Since many plants and ins ects secrete volatile compounds to repel parasites and predators, we l ook to studies of the chemical ecology of plants and insects seeking t o discover new chemistry that can be optimized into non-toxic personal repellents.