Optimising deployment of sterile insect technique to control spotted wing drosophila in blackberries: Black-Spot

斑翅果蝇（SWD）是危害软果作物的第一大入侵害虫。如果不进行干预，作物损失可达90%。目前的控制非常依赖传统农药，在英国，每年都要通过越来越困难的紧急批准来寻求传统农药。昆虫不育技术（SIT）是一种定期释放不育雄性害虫与雌性交配的技术，其结果是没有后代。它具有物种特异性和无毒性，因此保护了生物多样性。Zyzzle利用机器人和人工智能实现了雄性绝育SWD的自动化生产；这些果蝇是非转基因的，已经被批准进行商业销售。最初的Stop-Spot项目是Zyzzle、NIAB和Berry Gardens Growers之间的成功合作，提供了一些有用的结果，帮助形成了SIT服务，以控制草莓和覆盆子作物的SWD。该项目的实验室阶段指导Zyzzle开发其不育雄鱼生产工艺，包括优化辐射剂量和恢复间隔，以确保不育雄鱼在释放前的适合度。实地研究，包括这些作物的扩散和寿命数据，提供了对释放率的关键见解。通过分析野生SWD的全年种群动态和研究冬季型SWD的交配竞争力，验证了目前雄性不育放生的时间和地点策略。该项目将重点关注黑莓，这是一种对SWD控制特别具有挑战性的作物。AHDB的数据显示，种植者可以每公顷投资1.1万英镑来控制黑莓的SWD，这比其他易受影响的作物至少高出60%。这反映了管理黑莓SWD的困难，因为黑莓易受影响的成熟期很长；此外，浓密的叶子创造了有利于社会发展的小气候，阻碍了有效的作物卫生。该项目将首次量化与未经处理的黑莓对照的SIT效果。此外，它将使用详细的实地数据来建立一个预测SWD种群的模型；这可能会改变不育雄性释放的目标，目前使用的是回溯陷阱数据。该项目还将研究不育雄性的表现和成熟黑莓对SWD的脆弱性变化。总之，这些创新将促进黑莓害虫的可持续管理。控制黑莓SWD的成功解决方案将保护和提高英格兰种植者的收入，同时提高可持续性。通过优化黑莓的SIT协议，包括通过更好地预测野生SIT种群动态，我们将提高效率并降低治疗失败的风险。

Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) is the number one invasive pest species damaging soft fruit crops worldwide. Without intervention, crop losses can reach 90%. Current control is very reliant on conventional pesticides which, in the UK, are sought through increasingly difficult emergency approvals every year.Sterile insect technique (SIT) uses the regular release of sterile males of a pest to mate with females which results in no offspring. SIT is species-specific and non-toxic, so protects biodiversity. Zyzzle has automated sterile male SWD production using robotics and artificial intelligence; these flies are non-GM and already approved for commercial sale.The initial Stop-Spot project, which was a successful collaboration between Zyzzle, NIAB and Berry Gardens Growers, provided several useful results that helped shape the SIT service to control SWD in strawberry and raspberry crops. The project's laboratory phase guided Zyzzle in the development of its sterile male production processes, including radiation dose optimization and recovery intervals to ensure the fitness of sterile males before release. The field studies, including data on dispersal and longevity in these crops, gave critical insights on release rates. Analysing the year-round population dynamics of wild SWD and studying the mating competitiveness of winter morph SWD, validated current strategies for timing and location of sterile male releases.This project will focus on blackberries, a particularly challenging crop for SWD control. AHDB data shows growers can invest \>£11,000/ha just to control SWD on blackberries, which is at least 60% more than for other vulnerable crops. This reflects the difficulty of managing SWD in blackberries, due to the long susceptible ripening period of the berries; also, dense foliage creates a microclimate conducive to SWD development and hampers effective crop sanitation.This project will for the first time quantify SIT efficacy compared to untreated control in blackberry. Furthermore, it will use detailed field data to produce a predictive model for SWD populations; this could transform targeting of sterile male releases, which is currently done using backward-looking trap data. The project will also research sterile male performance and the changing vulnerability of ripening blackberries to SWD. Together, these innovations will advance sustainable pest management in blackberries.A successful solution for SWD control in blackberries will protect and improve the incomes of growers in England, while enhancing sustainability. By optimizing SIT protocols in blackberry, including through better prediction of wild SIT population dynamics, we will improve efficiency and reduce the risk of treatment failure.