Pest Management Science (2013) 69, 857-864

María Juan-Blasco, Beatriz Sabater-Muñoz, Rafael Argilés, Josep A. Jacas, Pedro Castañera and Alberto Urbaneja (2013)
Molecular tools for sterile sperm detection to monitor Ceratitis capitata populations under SIT programmes
Pest Management Science 69 (7), 857-864
Abstract:
Background
The success of an area-wide sterile insect technique (SIT) programme against Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) relies on the mating success of sterile males in the field. Limited information is available about the effectiveness of sterile males in achieving mates with wild females and how these matings contribute to reducing wild populations. To this end, firstly a mating competition test was performed in the laboratory with different release ratios (1:1:0, 1:1:1, 1:1:5, 1:1:10 and 1:1:20 for wild females:wild males:sterile VIENNA-8 males respectively) and different host fruit. Secondly, the same release ratios were evaluated under semi-natural conditions on caged trees and on sentinel host.
Results
By means of molecular markers, VIENNA-8 male sperm was positively detected in those females exposed to the male ratios 1:5, 1:10 and 1:20 in the laboratory. In the field test, sterile VIENNA-8 male matings and the C. capitata progeny on apples were positively correlated with the ratio of sterile males released and with the percentage of sterile matings respectively.
Conclusions
These results confirm the validity of using the molecular detection of VIENNA-8 male sperm to predict the C. capitata population under semi-natural conditions. Implications of these results in measuring the efficacy of an SIT programme are discussed.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Alberto Urbaneja, Beatriz Sabater-Munoz, Pedro Castañera

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Ceratitis capitata