Abstract
The sterile insect technique (SIT) has been shown to be an effective and sustainable genetic approach to control populations of selected major pest insects, when part of area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programmes. The technique introduces genetic sterility in females of the target population in the field following their mating with released sterile males. This process results in population reduction or elimination via embryo lethality caused by dominant lethal mutations induced in sperm of the released males. In the past, several field trials have been carried out for mosquitoes with varying degrees of success. New technology and experience gained with other species of insect pests has encouraged a reassessment of the use of the sterility principle as part of integrated control of malaria vectors. Significant technical and logistic hurdles will need to be overcome to develop the technology and make it effective to suppress selected vector populations, and its application will probably be limited to specific ecological situations. Using sterile males to control mosquito vector populations can only be effective as part of an AW-IPM programme. The area-wide concept entails the targeting of the total mosquito population within a defined area. It requires, therefore, a thorough understanding of the target pest population biology especially as regards mating behaviour, population dynamics, dispersal and level of reproductive isolation. The key challenges for success are: 1) devising methods to monitor vector populations and measuring competitiveness of sterile males in the field, 2) designing mass rearing, sterilization and release strategies that maintain competitiveness of the sterile male mosquitoes, 3) developing methods to separate sexes in order to release only male mosquitoes and 4) adapting suppression measures and release rates to take into account the high reproductive rate of mosquitoes. Finally, success in area-wide implementation in the field can only be achieved if close attention is paid to political, socio-economic and environmental sensitivities and an efficient management organization is established taking into account the interests of all potential stakeholders of an AW-IPM programme.
Highlights
Most insect control methods, both past and present, rely on the modification of some component of the insect's environment; in the majority of cases this means the use of insecticides
Targeting the genome of pest insects to mitigate against their deleterious effects is currently undergoing a renaissance, especially in mosquitoes, with much attention being focused on using transgenesis to manipulate vector competence [2]
Transgenic approaches may contribute to the development of male-only strains [3] and provide alternative ways to sterilize mosquitoes [4]
Summary
Both past and present, rely on the modification of some component of the insect's environment; in the majority of cases this means the use of insecticides. Muller's discovery that ionizing radiation could induce dominant lethal mutations [5] was only appreciated by entomologists in the 1950's [6] and this led to the well known and very impressive elimination of the New World screwworm Cochliomyia hominivorax, from the Southern States of the USA, Mexico and all of Central America and Panama [7], using what has come to be called the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) This initial success for New World screwworm was quickly followed by many attempts to develop similar approaches for mosquitoes, with varying degrees of success [8]. Area-wide integrated pest management To be most effective, released sterile insects have to target a discrete vector population on an area-wide basis, but strict isolation is obviously not a requirement considering the success of the New World screwworm programme. Recently the concept of global eradication of malaria is under discussion [15]
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