Professor North Carolina State University Raleigh, North Carolina
The sterile insect technique or SIT is an environmentally friendly species-specific method for control of insect pests. We have developed genetically modified strains for biotechnology-enhanced SIT that offer potential benefits such as male-only releases. Conditional female lethal strains have been developed for both the Australian sheep blow fly (Lucilia cuprina) and spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii). For the latter we have shown that repeated releases of transgenic males into a cage can suppress a population. For L. cuprina, we have developed conditional female transformation strains that produce XX transformed males and intersexes on diet that lacks tetracycline. Lastly, we will present progress on developing homing gene drive systems for efficient population suppression of these important pest species.
