Evaluate radiation-excitablenanoparticles for use in sterilizing insects for sterile insect technique (SIT) to reduce the overall radiation dose and improve overall insect health while retaining…

The Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) awarded Baylor University $263,314 under the Cooperative Agreement program "Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care" (CFDA 10.025) to evaluate the use of radiation-excitable nanoparticles for sterilizing insects in support of sterile insect technique (SIT). SIT aims to reduce populations of economically damaging insects by releasing sterile males to mate with wild females that then do not produce offspring. This project will evaluate using nanoparticles to lower the overall radiation dose needed to sterilize insects released for SIT, in an effort to improve insect health during the sterilization process while maintaining sterility. The period of performance is September 15, 2022 through September 14, 2023.

Evaluate radiation-excitablenanoparticles for use in sterilizing insects for sterile insect technique (SIT) to reduce the overall radiation dose and improve overall insect health while retaining sterility.