Molecular technologies to improve the effectiveness of the sterile insect technique.
The application of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) in area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programmes continues to increase. However, programme efficiency can still be considerably enhanced when certain components of the technology are improved, such as the development of improved strains for mass rearing and release. These include strains that (1) produce only male insects for sterilization and release and (2) carry easily identifiable markers to identify released sterile insects in the field. Using both classical and modern biotechnology techniques, key insect pests are targeted, where SIT programmes are being implemented. The pests include mosquitoes, the Mexican fruit fly, the codling moth, the oriental fruit fly and the pink bollworm. This special issue summarizes the results of research efforts aimed at the development and evaluation of new strains to a level where a decision can be made as to their suitability for use in large scale SIT programmes. Major beneficiaries will be operational AW-IPM programmes that apply the SIT against major insect pests.
FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory, Entomology Unit, International Atomic Energy Agency, 2444, Seibersdorf, Austria. G.Franz@iaea.org
Gerald
G
Franz
Alan S
AS
Robinson
D000818:Animals; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D009036:Moths / Q000235:genetics; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D033621:Tephritidae / Q000235:genetics; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
D005819:Genetic Markers; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins