Develop genetically sterile adultanastrepha ludens (MEXFLY) for evaluation in sterile insect techniqueapplications

The Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service awarded $132,156 under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care (CFDA 10.025) federal grant program to the University of California, San Diego for the development of genetically sterile Anastrepha ludens, or Mexican fruit fly, flies. The one-year cooperative agreement project aims to develop genetically sterile adult Mexican fruit flies for evaluation in sterile insect technique applications to protect U.S. agriculture from economically injurious plant and animal diseases and pests. Specifically, the university will work to convert genetically female flies into sterile male flies and remove the hazards associated with radiation-induced sterility by inducing sterility through genetic mechanisms. This approach could potentially double sterile fly production without increases in expenditures for diet ingredients, a key objective of the federal grant program.

This approach promises to double sterile fly productionwithout increases in expenditures for diet ingredients by convertinggenetically female flies into sterile male flies and to remove thehazards associated with radiation by inducing sterility through geneticmechanisms.