Novel pest control in tomato through the use of sterile male insects

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Novel pest control in tomato; 100885The moth, Tuta absoluta, arrived in Europe in 2006 from its native South America, where it is a major pest of tomatoes. Since its discovery in Spain it has spread and become a major concern for tomato growers all over Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. In the UK, growers face problems with the moths arriving via transport of tomatoes and related materials (e.g. packaging), and these are often resistant to the few pesticides that UK farmers are permitted to use. Biological control – release of natural predators and parasitoids – is one possible alternative, but there remains an urgent need for other chemical-free methods. Oxitec, the world leader in genetics-based insect control, and BCP Certis, one of Europe’s leading suppliers of biological control solutions, have teamed up to develop one such novel tool for this pest. Using genetic technology to develop strains of Tuta absoluta that are, in effect, genetically sterile, the partnership will provide ‘sterile’ male moths for release over tomato crops. After release into the field or glasshouse, ‘sterile’ moths mate with wild moths. As their progeny do not survive, the wild population will crash if sufficient sterile males are released over a sufficient period of time. This method will provide growers with another much-needed tool for integrated pest management and, furthermore, will help to expand biological control beyond glasshouses to outdoor crops.