Miss Ngoc Minh Thu Nguyen

Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is a species-specific biocontrol strategy where sterile males are released to seek and mate with wild females. Only infertile embryos are produced, causing a localised population collapse. This approach is currently helping control outbreaks of the horticultural pest Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni), however, two ongoing problems for Qfly SIT are i) distinguishing sterile released males from fertile wild males and ii) separating sterile males from sterile females prior to release (only males are required).

This project aims to use CRISPR/Cas gene editing to develop new and efficient Queensland fruit fly strains for SIT. First, small deletions in genes involved with body pigmentation will be created to generate strains clearly distinguish from wild flies. Second, as only males are required for SIT, temperature sensitive mutations will be introduced to remove female flies from culture prior to sterilisation and SIT release. The production of improved Qfly SIT strains will increase efficiency of pest control and help reduce reliance on chemical pesticides.