Location: Commodity Protection and Quality Research
Project Number: 2034-43000-043-023-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jun 1, 2020
End Date: Mar 31, 2021
Objective:
Objective 2 (moth quality, distribution, and competitive ability) will be examined using field mark-release-recapture methods.
Objective 4 (improve mark-release-recapture methods) will be examined by using fluorescent powders of various colors and quantities along with the currently-used internal dye to determine fluorescent marking techniques that might increase the information obtained in an individual experiment.
Approach:
Objective 2 Field recapture of sterile males will quantified by observing or detecting courtship and/or mating with immobilized females. Performance of sterile males using the standard processing and shipping procedures will be compared with recapture of males following modified procedures. In addition, these assays will be used to quantify the effect of novel ground release and release by drone on recapture.
Objective 4 Mark-release-recapture field trials with moths marked internally with fat-soluble dye will be used to distuinguish released from wild moths, and moths will be marked and released with and without fluorescent powders or with powders of two different colors to determine the effect of the powder and of the amount and color of powder used.
