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Pheromones

Hormone-like substances (also exohormones, telergones) which, in the form of scents or attractants, unlike hormones, do not act in the body but are released externally. The name is derived from the words ferein = to transmit and hormãn = to drive or stimulate. In humans they play an important role in the reproductive drive, these are androstenone (sweaty smell of the male armpit), copulins (vaginal secretions) and trimethylamine (fish brine). Some of these sexually animating "scent attractants" only work on women, others only on men. In insects, pheromones trigger certain actions or social functions. For example, queen bees emit certain pheromones to worker bees that prevent them from rearing new queens. If the queen and thus the pheromone supply fails, this automatically starts the rearing of a successor or new queen.

Bekreuzter Traubenwickler / Pheromoin-Dispenser

In vineyards, synthetically produced sexual pheromones are used in the confusion method (mating disruption) for the environmentally friendly control of animal pests as part of biological plant protection. These include grape berry moths (or their caterpillars), which are feared in viticulture and are prevented from mating. Many pheromones are also found in wine, which can be detected as truffle aromas in old Barolo wines, as the honey scent of ripe Beerenauslese, as vanilla and oak sc ents in barrique-aged wines, as tobacco and leather scents in mature red Bordeaux, as peach scents in young Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc wines, as buttery aromas in Chardonnays with malolactic fermentation), as cassis and blackberries in Syrah wines, as green apple aromas in Fino Sherries and as yeasty aromas in vintage Champagnes (Millésime). They can have an aphrodisiac effect. See also under aromatic substances.

Picture left: ©ToddM. Gilligan - USDA
Picture right: Roger Kreja, Stuttgart - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

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