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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #121577
Title: EVALUATION OF POPULATION SUPPRESSION BY IRRADIATED LEPIDOPTERA AND THEIR PROGENY.

Author
item BLOEM, STEPHANIE - USDA APHIS PPQ CPHST NBCI
item Carpenter, James

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2001
Publication Date: 6/1/2001
Citation: Bloem, S., Carpenter, J.E. 2001. Evaluation of population suppression by irradiated lepidoptera and their progeny. Florida Entomologist. 84(2):165-171.

Interpretive Summary: Development of alternative tactics to the exclusive use of insecticides is a major emphasis of most local, national and international research organizations concerned with pest control. Genetic pest suppression is unique among biological methods in that it involves the release of genetically modified insects to control the same species. These insects are usually reproductively sterile. In some cases the adults are only partially sterile, but their offspring (the F1) are totally sterile. This has led to genetic pest control tactic called F1 sterility which has been developed for use against caterpillar pests. Studies in the field have demonstrated the potential of using F1 sterility to control many caterpillar pests, including the cabbage looper, the corn earworm, the gypsy moth, and the codling moth. In addition, many studies have shown that F1 sterility can be effectively combined with other biological controls such as mating disruption, insect pathogens, resistant crop varieties, and natural enemies. As a result, F1 sterility is regarded as the most favorable genetic method for most applications against caterpillar pests.

Technical Abstract: Research was conducted as part of a FAO/IAEA Coordinated Research Program (CRP) entitled "Evaluation of Population Suppression by Irradiated Lepidoptera and Their Progeny." The objective of the research was to assess the potential for controlling populations of pest Lepidoptera by releasing irradiated moths and/or their progeny in combination with other biological control methods. Results from research conducted during this CRP revealed principles that were common to many pest species. These can be summarized into two major points: (1) F1 sterility is an effective and envrionmentally safe tactic for lepidopteran pest suppression that is useful under a variety of environments and crop production strategies, and (2) F1 sterility is compatible with other pest control tactics. The combination of F1 sterility with pheromones, natural enemies, host plant resistance, entomopathogens and insecticides resulted in synergistic pest population suppression.