Grasshopper outbreaks inflict severe damage upon agriculture and exert a significant impact on global food production. Such damages caused by massive grasshopper outbreaks have been a persistent issue since ancient times, yet a fundamental solution remains elusive.
At present, the primary countermeasure against grasshopper outbreaks is the spraying of insecticides. This method proves particularly effective during the larval stage, when the mobility of grasshoppers is limited; however, once they reach adulthood and rapidly traverse extensive areas, effective intervention becomes challenging. Moreover, the ecological adverse effects of using insecticides are of growing concern.
In light of this, our focus has turned to the characteristic of the eastern lubber grasshopper, which is attracted by the aggregation pheromone 4-Vinylanisole (4VA), to explore novel possibilities for grasshopper swarm control. In fiscal year 2024, attention was directed toward the olfactory receptor OR35, which specifically responds to 4VA, and through simulation studies, a control strategy employing OR35-deficient individuals was examined.