The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) was awarded a $649,414 Project Grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research (BRAG) program (CFDA 10.219). The grant, with an award date of September 1, 2024 and ultimate completion date of August 31, 2028, supports the development of tools to monitor, improve, and better understand the behavior of precision-guided sterile insect technique (PGSIT) and other CRISPR-based genetic technologies for managing the spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii), a major agricultural pest of soft-skinned fruits. The key products to be delivered include: 1) a diagnostic system called Sensitive Enzymatic Nucleic Acid Sequence Reporter (SENSR) to rapidly detect PGSIT and CRISPR-associated DNA, enabling monitoring of the performance and spread of these genetic biocontrol tools in the field, and 2) a Separator system to improve the accuracy of sex sorting prior to field releases of genetically engineered D. suzukii, reducing the risk of releasing fertile females that can damage crops. Additionally, the project will evaluate the behavior of PGSIT under changing environmental conditions and its potential to mitigate gene flow of other genetically engineered technologies. This research is critical for the responsible development and management of genetic pest control strategies.
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