Hormesis in insects

The stimulating effect of low concentrations of chemicals on organisms is called hormesis. Hormesis is recognized as an adaptive mechanism by which mild stressors can enhance the protective capacity of the host, while the same factors are harmful or lethal at excessive levels. Insects in agricultural ecosystems are exposed to many stressors (chemicals, heat, and lack of nutrients) that are often at low levels. The stimulatory (hormetic) effects of insect exposure to mild stress are now well known, with implications for insect management, structure and ecological function in agricultural ecosystems. Many biotic and abiotic processes also spatially and temporally change the pesticide dose to which an insect is exposed in the field. Therefore, hormesis is an important phenomenon in pest management. However, this phenomenon has received relatively little attention from insect toxicologists in Iran. Considering the importance of the hormesis, this article has investigated the hormetic effects of various factors in insects according to previous researches.