All Male Strains and Chemical Stimulants: Two Ways to Boost Sterile Males in SIT Programs

Authors: McInnis, Donald; SHELLY, TODD - USDA-APHIS; MAU, RONALD - UNIV OF HAWAII AT MANOA

Submitted to: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Area-Wide Management of Insect Pests
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2006
Publication Date: 10/13/2006
Citation: Mcinnis, D.O., Shelly, T.E., Mau, R.F. 2006. All Male Strains and Chemical Stimulants: Two Ways to Boost Sterile Males in SIT Programs. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Area-Wide Management of Insect Pests.

Interpretive Summary: In recent years, the sterile insect technique has been improved by developing two methods, first by genetic means of separating males from females and then releasing only males, and second, by exposing sterile males to specific chemicals prior to release that enhance the mating ability of the males in the field.

Technical Abstract: Genetic and chemical means have been developed to significantly improve the effectiveness of the sterile insect technique against tephritid fruit flies in recent years. Beginning with the development of genetic sexing techniques some 25 years ago, all-male strains of several species of fruit flies have greatly improved the SIT. More recently, chemical supplements such as ginger root oil for Ceratitis capitata (medfly) males and methyl eugenol for Bactrocera dorsalis males have further increased the field efficiency of released mass-reared sterile males at very limited cost.