Call for Submission of Research Proposals for a new Coordinated Research Project on "Increasing the Efficiency of Lepidoptera SIT Through Enhanced Quality Control". Pest species of Lepidoptera such as codling moth, diamondback moth, oriental fruit moth, grapevine moth, cotton bollworms, and pink bollworm are among the most damaging species of food and fibre crops in the world. These pests are the target of huge quantities of broad-spectrum insecticides in developed and developing countries. The economic, social and environmental consequences of these insecticide interventions are immense, and hence, are unsustainable. In addition, global increases in trade and travel have resulted in an increase in the rate of invasion of lepidopteran pest species, which threaten agricultural systems, markets, communities, and biodiversity on a worldwide basis. There is broad international consensus that intervention campaigns against such pests should be based on the area-wide concept of integrated pest management (AW-IPM), i.e. the management of entire pest populations within a delimited geographical area. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is a very efficient control tactic for creating pest-free areas or areas of low pest prevalence within such AW-IPM programmes. A previous CRP on Lepidoptera SIT (2002-2007) focused on improvements of codling moth SIT to facilitate its’ expansion in the field. Further development of the SIT to target other key lepidopteran pests will require improvements that increase the quality control of mass-rearing, irradiation, shipping, release and field assessment activities.
The FAO/IAEA approved a new CRP that will contribute to the development and use of improved quality control/management systems for all aspects of the SIT by (1) identifying and characterizing factors and variables that affect quality and field performance of released moths, (2) developing and improving tools and methods to assess, predict and enhance the field performance of released moths based on insect quality, (3) developing new and improved methods for enhancing rearing systems, facilitating the selection for performance or fitness traits that improve colony establishment, refurbishment and production, as well as the field performance of released moths.
Scientists and researchers working in the area of Lepidoptera rearing and/or Lepidoptera AW-IPM with an SIT component, who are interested in collaborating in this new CRP should contact Marc Vreysen.
Deadline for submission of research proposals is 2 June 2008
Tephritid Workers Database. The Tephritid Workers Database (TWD) is an ambitious project whose objective is to fill an informational gap for tephritid workers worldwide. The aspiration is to develop a network of fruit fly workers and promote your research activities and your know-how on the web. To join fill out the Membership Form. Each fruit fly worker can edit and regularly update his/her own information record through his/her username and password. The target audience is national/international plant protection authorities, fruit fly control programmes, universities and other research institutions throughout the world.
The following resolution in support of PATTEC was passed at the recent FAO General conference. The application of this resolution will give strong additional support to PATTEC, to complement that provided by the IAEA. [Download pdf]
