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Title: Improving sterile male performance in support of programmes integrating the sterile insect technique against fruit flies

Author
item PEREIRA, R - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
item YUVAL, B - Hebrew University Of Jerusalem
item LIEDO, P - Ecosur
item Teal, Peter
item SHELLY, T - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item McInnis, Donald
item HENDRICHS, J - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/7/2011
Publication Date: 8/8/2012
Citation: Pereira, R., Yuval, B., Liedo, P., Teal, P.E., Shelly, T.E., Mcinnis, D.O., Hendrichs, J. 2012. Improving sterile male performance in support of programmes integrating the sterile insect technique against fruit flies. Journal of Applied Entomology. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0418.2011.01664.x.

Interpretive Summary: The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is being applied against fruit fly pests in many areas of the world. Currently, factories have the capacity to produce several billion sterile male insects per week and to make them available for, irradiatiation and shipment to their destinations, where the emerging flies are fed and managed in fly emergence and release facilities and then collected for release. While much research effort has been invested in improving mass rearing and quality control procedures at the fly factory level, the post-factory handling of sterile flies has received much less attention. A six year FAO/IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) was initiated with the participation of 31 research institutes from 17 countries including scientists from the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology USDA-ARS in Gainesville Florida. The purpose of the project was to assess and validate ways to improve sterile male performance through better management during the critical period that starts with the arrival of pupae at the fly emergence and release facility and ends with the release of the sterile flies in the field. This review summarizes the research that was conducted under the CRP focusing on fruit fly species from the genera Anastrepha, Bactrocera and Ceratitis against which the SIT is being applied. To reduce the cost and increase the effectiveness of SIT programmes. Exposure of sterile males to nutritional, hormonal and semiochemicals supplements was assessed and improved handling and release methods tested. Incorporation of protein and juvenile hormone analogs into pre-release diets significantly accelerated sterile male maturation and increased sexual performance among several species, while semiochemical treatments using ginger root oil or citrus oils in Ceratitis capitata and methyl eugenol in B. dorsalis complex species significantly increases sterile male mating competitiveness. Improved fly emergence, holding and release procedures were also addressed, together with the compilation of all this knowledge into a manual. Many of these findings have been transferred to and are being applied in operational programmes.

Technical Abstract: The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is being applied against fruit fly pests in many areas of the world. Currently, factories have the capacity to produce several billion sterile male insects per week and to make them available for, irradiatiation and shipment to their destinations, where the emerging flies are fed and managed in fly emergence and release facilities and then collected for release. While much research effort has been invested in improving mass rearing and quality control procedures at the fly factory level, the post-factory handling of sterile flies has received much less attention. A six year FAO/IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) was initiated with the participation of 31 research institutes from 17 countries. The purpose of the project was to assess and validate ways to improve sterile male performance through better management during the critical period that starts with the arrival of pupae at the fly emergence and release facility and ends with the release of the sterile flies in the field. This review summarizes the research that was conducted under the CRP focusing on fruit fly species from the genera Anastrepha, Bactrocera and Ceratitis against which the SIT is being applied. To reduce the cost and increase the effectiveness of SIT programmes, exposure of sterile males to nutritional, hormonal and semiochemicals supplements was assessed and improved handling and release methods tested. Incorporation of protein and juvenile hormone into pre-release diets significantly accelerated sterile male maturation and increased sexual performance among several species, while semiochemical treatments using ginger root oil or citrus oils in Ceratitis capitata and methyl eugenol in B. dorsalis complex species significantly increases sterile male mating competitiveness. Improved fly emergence, holding and release procedures were also addressed, together with the compilation of all this knowledge into a manual. Many of these findings have been transferred to and are being applied in operational programmes.