Chemosterilants -- Chemical Control of Reproduction

There are over four hundred chemical substances that are known to cause reproductive sterility in insects. Some of these compounds inhibit ovarian growth and development, while others appear to induce fundamental changes in the chemical structure of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). These changes (mutations) prevent cell division or obstruct normal embryonic development. Chemosterilants belong to several major chemical groups (see Table 1). These compounds are applied directly to the insect or incorporated into food that serves as a bait.
All chemosterilants are extremely hazardous compounds. Their effects are not restricted to insects; they also cause cancer, birth defects, and other mutations in humans and domestic animals. Clearly, these chemicals cannot be dispersed in the environment like other pesticides. Instead, they must be applied under controlled laboratory conditions, usually to insects that are mass reared and released as part of a sterile release program. Although there is much interest in finding a chemosterilant whose effects are limited to insects, no such compound has yet been found.