Insect Control: Resistance Management and Agricultural Economics

对杀虫剂影响的担忧以及害虫种群抗性的演变正在推动新型可持续害虫控制工具的发展。农业害虫给农作物造成数十亿美元的损失，而且难以控制，威胁着粮食安全和农民的生计。这一挑战在很大程度上是由于害虫对传统杀虫剂和生物杀虫剂产生了抗药性。目前的耐药性管理战略很困难，可用产品的范围有限，遵守情况较差。遗传技术使自我限制技术的发展成为可能[1，2]，以抑制害虫种群。为了控制野生害虫，转基因雄性将被释放到作物上：与野生雌性交配后，所有雌性后代都会死亡，减少了种群的规模和繁殖能力。自限性雄性释放可以具有额外的抗性管理益处：其雄性后代在田间的存活导致抗性易感基因渗入野生种群[3]。这个学生项目将建立在以前的数学模型的阻力管理使用自限技术[4-7]。将研究自限性雄性释放对空间显性种群抗性进化和管理的影响。这将需要发展人口遗传和人口生态框架。数据将被用来制定适当的成本效益经济模型，将自限性技术纳入综合虫害管理战略。2 Jin等人2013 ACS Synth Biol 2：1603 Harvey-Samuel等人BMC Biology 13：494 Alphey等人2007 J Econ Entomol 100：1642. 5 Alphey等人2009 J Econ Entomol 102：717.6 Hackett &邦索尔2016 J Appl Ecol 53，1391.7 Watkinson-Powell & Alphey J. Theor. Biol.413：72.

Concerns over the impacts of insecticides, and the evolution of resistance in pest populations, are driving development of novel and sustainable pest control tools. Agricultural pests inflict billions of dollars of damage to crops and are difficult to control, threatening food security and farmers' livelihoods. The challenge is, in large part, as result of the pests developing resistance to conventional insecticides and biopesticides. Current resistance management strategies are difficult, with a restricted range of available products and poor compliance. Genetic technology has enabled the development of self-limiting technologies [1,2] to suppress pest populations. For control of wild pest insects, genetically-modified males would be released over the crop: after mating with wild females all female progeny die, reducing the size and reproductive capacity of the population. The self-limiting male releases can have additional resistance management benefits: survival of their male progeny in the field leads to introgression of insecticide-susceptibility genes into the wild population [3]. This studentship project will build on previous mathematical modelling of resistance management using self-limiting technologies [4-7]. The effects of self-limiting male releases on the evolution and management of resistance in spatially explicit populations will be investigated. This will necessitate the development of population genetic and population ecological frameworks. Data will be used to develop appropriate cost-effective economic models for incorporation of self-limiting technologies into integrated pest management strategies.References 1 Thomas et al. 2000 Science 287:2474. 2 Jin et al. 2013 ACS Synth Biol 2:1603 Harvey-Samuel et al. BMC Biology 13:494 Alphey et al. 2007 J Econ Entomol 100:1642. 5 Alphey et al. 2009 J Econ Entomol 102:717.6 Hackett & Bonsall 2016 J Appl Ecol 53, 1391.7 Watkinson-Powell & Alphey J. Theor. Biol. 413:72.