除水災外,蝗禍亦會對糧食供應做成極大的傷害。768Please respect copyright.PENANAgb26YMIgvS
768Please respect copyright.PENANAwOGzPxHYia
(圖1)蝗蟲可以分成為兩個形態,獨居形態(Solitary)和群居形態(Gregarious)。當獨居蝗蟲聚集在一起後,牠們身體便會由綠色轉變成黑色,成為群居蝗蟲,同時間亦會在體內產生Phenylacetonitrile (PAN)化學物。768Please respect copyright.PENANABbdAUhBXrS768Please respect copyright.PENANAjb0kjZ6Ra6
768Please respect copyright.PENANA7GoKrEXZgw
768Please respect copyright.PENANAq0Dxu6GTTN
群居蝗蟲受到捕食者攻擊的話,身體裡的PAN化學物便會迅速代謝成為山埃。目的就是如果自己受傷甚至是不幸戰敗的話,對手亦會因為進食自己含有山埃的部份而中毒身亡,玉石俱焚。768Please respect copyright.PENANAd6zRRv4yAi
768Please respect copyright.PENANAyQm96zN32h
768Please respect copyright.PENANALuxZYtTiOW
2020年8月12日,有科學家在《Science》期刊發表學術文章,講述一道關於蝗蟲的研究。768Please respect copyright.PENANAzAkYa63o0S
768Please respect copyright.PENANA3Oy9vBAvbp
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2610-4768Please respect copyright.PENANAT8XFad0tER
768Please respect copyright.PENANARLFws0h0Ux
(圖2)他們發現,若果群居蝗蟲聚集數量多於4隻的話,牠們的身體及糞便會散發出一隻名為4VA(4-Vinylanisole)的化學物。768Please respect copyright.PENANAx6OtYsPADs768Please respect copyright.PENANAXRIgc70NzI
768Please respect copyright.PENANAMv2FlJEX0U
不論是獨居蝗蟲還是群居蝗蟲,亦不論性別,牠們均會被4VA化學物深深吸引,從而聚集成群,並繼續不斷散發4VA化學物,無止境地召集同伴,建組蝗蟲大軍。768Please respect copyright.PENANAZr0ACEjF7F
768Please respect copyright.PENANAyIVph19I1A
科學家亦發現,蝗蟲觸鬚裡頭名為OR35的嗅覺細胞主力負責感測4VA的存在。當利用基因CRISPR技術移除蝗蟲OR35嗅覺細胞的話,牠們便會失去聚集的能力,進一步確立4VA的重要性;768Please respect copyright.PENANA0F8Xn4fvfd
目前為止,他們並沒有發現或研發化學物可以抑制蝗蟲的OR35嗅覺細胞。768Please respect copyright.PENANA3PQDSe5BXB
768Please respect copyright.PENANAhjZwOQeuHD
他們亦嘗試進行實地研究,在野外設立8個含有4VA化學物的捕蝗網。統計過後,捕獲的蝗蟲數量的確有所上升,但並非超級顯著。(圖3)768Please respect copyright.PENANAubdXfjJbuA768Please respect copyright.PENANAWe6JQveHym
768Please respect copyright.PENANAQLSZKii84L
768Please respect copyright.PENANAzB6fUWWhZx
雖然如此,如果設立的數量足夠的話,不排除可以能夠誘導蝗蟲群組遠離農地,保護農作物。768Please respect copyright.PENANANEXvdf6UH9