Announcements

Call for Submission of Research Proposals for a new Coordinated Research Project on “Resolution of Cryptic Species Complexes of Tephritid Pests to Overcome Constraints to SIT Application and International Trade”.
Fruit flies are among the worst plant pests in agriculture, causing major losses in fruit and vegetable production, and are major targets of insecticide use in nearly all tropical, subtropical and some temperate countries worldwide. They are also of major economic importance because they result in the establishment of quarantines and the disruption of international agricultural trade. The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is increasingly applied operationally against the Mediterranean fruit fly; however, there are some important constraints to its use against other major fruit fly pests.

There are increasing demands from Member States in Africa, Asia and Latin America to resolve the uncertain taxonomic status of some key pest fruit fly species which exist as species complexes, i.e. fruit fly species that are morphologically similar and are not real separate species but only geographical variants. This uncertainty is having significant negative impacts on international trade and is resulting in the establishment of technically unjustified trade barriers to important commercial fruit and vegetable commodities. Also, some fruit fly populations grouped within the same species display different biological and genetic traits, which have important practical and economic implications for the effective use of the SIT. The resolution of some of the major cryptic species (i.e. insects whose specific status is questionable) complexes is therefore critical both for SIT application and to assist mainly subtropical and tropical Member States to overcome non-tariff trade barriers in order to export their fresh fruit and vegetable commodities to international high value markets.

The main targets of research will be the Anastrepha fraterculus (Mexico, Central and South America), Bactrocera dorsalis (Asia, Africa and South America), Bactrocera cucurbitae (Asia and Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Africa) and Ceratitis rosa (Africa and Indian Ocean) species complexes. Cryptic pest fly species within each complex will be maintained in the laboratory and mating propensity, compatibility and competitiveness assessed under semi-natural conditions in field cages. In addition, the CRP will seek collaboration with researchers studying morphological, cytogenetic, molecular, and pheromone differences between species.

The objective of this CRP is to provide a clear description of biological characteristics of the species and the development of diagnostic tools for each species, resulting in facilitation of world trade and an enhancement of area-wide integrated pest management programmes that include SIT application.

The expected duration of the CRP is 5 years (2010-2015) and the first RCM is planned for July 2010 in Vienna, Austria. Scientists and researchers who are interested in collaborating in this new CRP should contact Andrew Jessup.

Information on the IAEA Coordinated Research Programme and how to apply for research contracts and research agreements can be found at http://www-crp.iaea.org/

Call for Submission of Research Proposals for a new Coordinated Research Project on "Development of Generic Irradiation Doses for Quarantine Treatments".
Regulatory authorities and scientists from many internationally recognised institutions have studied research data on the effectiveness of irradiation as a quarantine treatment against a large range of insect pest species infesting various fruits and vegetables. These authorities have concluded that generic doses are possible, negating the need to develop or validate specific irradiation doses tailored to individual arthropod species.
In 2003, the International Plant Protection Convention approved the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures "Guidelines for the Use of Irradiation as a Phytosanitary Measure" (ISPM 18), which facilitated the start of international trade in irradiated fresh fruits between countries such as Australia and New Zealand in 2005 and between India and the United States in 2006.
Despite these successes, important gaps in knowledge still remain and a previous CRP on "Irradiation as a Phytosanitary Treatment of Food and Agricultural Commodities" recommended that generic doses for major arthropod groups be investigated. There are a number of other critical pests of quarantine significance from non-fruit fly species and comparatively little research has been performed on their susceptibility to inactivation by irradiation. These include mites, thrips, mealybugs, weevils, leaf miners, aphids and scale insects.
This new 5-year Coordinated Research Project will establish validated irradiation doses for such non-fruit fly species of quarantine significance. The project results will strengthen existing irradiation standards developed by the International Plant Protection Convention, thereby facilitating international trade for various fruit, vegetable and other commodities through the use of generic irradiation doses for a wide range of quarantine pests.
This CRP will be managed by the Food and Environment Protection Subprogramme of the Joint FAO/IAEA Division, in conjunction with technical support from the Insect and Pest Control Subprogramme.

Scientists and researchers who are interested in collaborating in this new CRP should contact David Byron and Andrew Parker

Call for Submission of Research Proposals for a new Coordinated Research Project on "Development and Evaluation of Improved Strains of Insect Pests for SIT".
The sterile insect technique (SIT) is an increasingly important component of area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programmes for certain key insect pests. The use of this technology is meeting the needs of Member States as they deal with the impact of globalisation and climate change on the increasing problem of invasive pest species. The SIT has the ability to eradicate new outbreaks of pests so as to prevent their establishment. Among the major threats to agricultural production and trade are fruit flies and Lepidoptera pests and these are major targets for ongoing and future SIT programmes. Globalisation and climate change are also leading to an increase in new outbreaks of mosquito borne diseases and major efforts are underway to develop new control techniques, including the SIT, for the mosquito species responsible for these outbreaks.

Operational use of the SIT continues to reveal areas where new technologies are needed to improve efficiency and thus lead to more cost effective programmes. There are many options for increasing the efficiency of the SIT, e.g. improved mass-rearing, release technology, quality control, etc, even when operational programmes are already underway. However, one critical area identified by programme managers where important advances can be made concerns the improvement of the strains themselves that are being reared and released. One example of how strain improvement can significantly enhance efficiency has been the use of genetic sexing strains (GSS) in SIT programmes for the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata. A technology developed through the Agency’s CRP programme with support from the Entomology Unit of the FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory in Seibersdorf.

SIT programmes are currently being implemented for several very important fruit fly and Lepidoptera species where the development of improved strains would lead to major increases in efficiency of the SIT component. This new CRP will focus on these species. For mosquitoes, where released sterile females would still act as disease vectors, strains such as that developed for the Mediterranean fruit fly which allow the release of only males are essential for the development for SIT.

Strain improvement can be achieved using different approaches, but all rely on some form of stable genetic change being introduced and maintained in the improved strain. Genetic change can be introduced either using classical genetics (as in the case of medfly GSS) or modern biotechnology, specifically genetic transformation. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages relating to transferability of systems between species, stability in mass-rearing, regulatory approval etc.

Of significance to the use of genetic transformation, is the adoption of a standard (RSPM No. 27) produced by the North American Plant Protection Organisation (NAPPO) which provides guidelines for the confined release of transgenic insects. This confinement includes transgenic insects that have been sterilized by irradiation in SIT programmes.

The two most important areas which can be considered as targets for the development of improved strains for SIT field programmes are 1) strains that allow for the production of males only for sterilization and release (GSS) and 2) strains that incorporate a genetic marker to reliable and cheaply differentiate released insects from wild insects (marker strains). The major outcome of the use of these improved strains will be a more cost-effective and efficient implementation of SIT programmes for major insect pests of agriculture and human health.

Among the expected proposals for Research Agreements and Research Contracts, preference will be given to institutions having specialists in:

  1. Classical genetics of mosquitoes, fruit flies and Lepidoptera including the isolation of selectable genes and chromosome translocations
  2. Isolation of sex-specific gene promoters and lethal genes in pest species
  3. Using genetic sexing strains in operational SIT programmes
  4. Development of marker strains in insect pests.

The specific objectives of the CRP are:

  1. To transfer existing technologies (genetic and/or molecular) for the construction of sexing strains in key insect pests
  2. To develop and integrate molecular and genetic marker strains to monitor released insects in the field, to tag transgenes and to determine the mating status of females in the field
  3. To establish targeted and stabilized transgenic strains to expand the safe and effective use of improved strains for SIT
  4. To encourage and attract participants to the CRP in the field of Lepidoptera genetics.

The expected duration of the CRP is 5 years (2009-2014) and the first RCM is planned for November 2009 in Vienna, Austria. For application please contact Gerald Franz.

Note: Information on the IAEA Coordinated Research Programme and how to apply for research contracts and research agreements can be found at http://www-crp.iaea.org/.