The Insect Pest Control Laboratory of the Joint FAO/IAEA Programme: Ten Years (2010–2020) of Research and Development, Achievements and Challenges in Support of the Sterile Insect Technique

Abstract

The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre (formerly called Division) of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture was established in 1964 and its accompanying laboratories in 1961. One of its subprograms deals with insect pest control, and has the mandate to develop and implement the sterile insect technique (SIT) for selected key insect pests, with the goal of reducing the use of insecticides, reducing animal and crop losses, protecting the environment, facilitating international trade in agricultural commodities and improving human health. Since its inception, the Insect Pest Control Laboratory (IPCL) (formerly named Entomology Unit) has been implementing research in relation to the development of the SIT package for insect pests of crops, livestock and human health. This paper provides a review of research carried out between 2010 and 2020 at the IPCL. Research on plant pests has focused on the development of genetic sexing strains, characterizing and assessing the performance of these strains (e.g., Ceratitis capitata), elucidation of the taxonomic status of several members of the Bactrocera dorsalis and Anastrepha fraterculus complexes, the use of microbiota as probiotics, genomics, supplements to improve the performance of the reared insects, and the development of the SIT package for fruit fly species such as Bactrocera oleae and Drosophila suzukii. Research on livestock pests has focused on colony maintenance and establishment, tsetse symbionts and pathogens, sex separation, morphology, sterile male quality, radiation biology, mating behavior and transportation and release systems. Research with human disease vectors has focused on the development of genetic sexing strains (Anopheles arabiensis, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus), the development of a more cost-effective larvae and adult rearing system, assessing various aspects of radiation biology, characterizing symbionts and pathogens, studying mating behavior and the development of quality control procedures, and handling and release methods. During the review period, 13 coordinated research projects (CRPs) were completed and six are still being implemented. At the end of each CRP, the results were published in a special issue of a peer-reviewed journal. The review concludes with an overview of future challenges, such as the need to adhere to a phased conditional approach for the implementation of operational SIT programs, the need to make the SIT more cost effective, to respond with demand driven research to solve the problems faced by the operational SIT programs and the use of the SIT to address a multitude of exotic species that are being introduced, due to globalization, and established in areas where they could not survive before, due to climate change.

Development of the Sterile Insect Technique to control the dengue vector Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) in Sri Lanka

“…aegypti [ 49 ]. Anopheles coluzzii , one of the major vectors of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, was sterilized at 90 Gy, and the egg hatch rate was significantly reduced to 20% [ 22 ]. However, excessive doses can reduce male quality [ 21 ].…”

“…SIT is used in a number of countries to control fruit fly pests, particularly the Mediterranean fruit fly ( Ceratitis capitata ) and the Mexican fruit fly ( Anastrepha ludens ) [ 20 ]. Recent progress on the development of the SIT package against mosquitoes allows envisaging its deployment in several countries [ 21 , 22 ]. For example, the National Institute for Public Health (INSP) in Mexico is evaluating the possible use of SIT as an additional control measure for local strains of Ae .…”

Effects of Chilling and Anoxia on the Irradiation Dose-Response in Adult Aedes Mosquitoes

“…Great progress has been made for each component of the SIT, resulting in the development of equipment, methods and guidelines for mass rearing, sex separation, irradiation, packing, transportation, quality control, release methods, and field trials. The most notable achievements of the past decade are reviewed in ( Vreysen et al, 2021 ).…”

Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) and Its Applications

“…Last but not least, the review article by Vreysen and colleagues (2021b) [ 35 ] on “The FAO/IAEA Insect Pest Control Laboratory: ten years (2010–2020) of research and development, achievements and challenges in support of the sterile insect technique” summarizes the catalytic progress which has been achieved on the development and refinement of the SIT of an important number of insect pests and disease vectors (fruit flies, lepidoptera, tsetse flies and mosquitoes) through the systematic and problem-solving R&D work carried out at the Insect Pest Control Laboratory. This R&D has significantly improved the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the SIT towards the population management of insect pests of agricultural, veterinary and human health importance.…”