Striped flea beetle, Phyllotreta striolata (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), one of the specialists insect feeding on cruciferous vegetables, developed a close association to their hosts and depend on characteristic secondary plant compounds, the glucosinolates, in many cases (Renwick, 2002, Mewis et al., 2002). New information about the chemistry of crucifer crops which mediate insect host plant interactions has considerable high practical value in controlling pest species. In an agricultural setting, the use of trap crops and plant volatiles as attractants for pest monitoring may offer a promising approach in pest management.

The section for Urban Horticulture, Institute of Horticultural Sciences at Humboldt University Berlin (HUB) is working on chemical cues within the insect plant interactions. They have experience in pest management in tropics and collaborated in the past with Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in the Philippines. In addition, in the past scientists from the Urban Horticultural section also collaborated with AVRDC The World Vegetable Center to manage P. striolata and other relevant insect pests in peri-urban vegetable production systems for metropolitan Manila. Although some progress have been made in developing the traps based on host plant volatiles, further research is required to develop effective lures based on host plant volatiles. One new idea is to achieve more effective lures for mass trapping by combining effective plant extracts with aggregation pheromones.