joint fao/iaea division of nuclear techniques fao/iaea ...ipc-nl-52.pdf · -3-b. staff the...

Joint FAO/IAEA Divisionof Nuclear Techniques

in Food and Agriculture and FAO/IAEA Agriculture and

Biotechnology Laboratory, Seibersdorf

International Atomic Energy AgencyVienna

ISSN 1011-274X

A. TO THE READER..........................................................1

B. STAFF.............................................................................3

C. FORTHCOMING EVENTS .............................................4

D. PAST EVENTS ...............................................................5

E. TECHNICAL CO-OPERATION PROJECTS ..................7

F. EXISTING AND PLANNED

CO-ORDINATED RESEARCH PROJECTS ............11

G. DEVELOPMENTS AT THE ENTOMOLOGY

LABORATORY SEIBERSDORF...............................16

H. SPECIAL NEWS AND REPORTS................................19

I. PUBLICATIONS............................................................30

No. 52 December 1998

PLEASE SEE OUR INTERNET HOME PAGES:http://www.iaea.org/programmes/rifa/d4/index.html

http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/Agricul.htm

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A. TO THE READER

Letter from the Section HeadI would like to report that the USDA-

supported SIT New World Screwworm,Cochliomyia hominivorax, eradicationprogramme, the first and largest of its kind,is close to achieving its objective ofeliminating this very damaging pest fromnearly half the American continent. OnOctober 29, 1999 a USDA-Panama sterilefly processing and release centre wasinaugurated at the international airport ofPanama City, by the US AssistantSecretary of Agriculture, Michael Dunn,and Ministers of Agriculture of variouscountries in the region.

This new release centre will receivesterile pupae from the screwworm massrearing facility of the Mexico-USAScrewworm Commission in TuxtlaGutierrez, Mexico, and process them foraerial release over Panamanian territory. Itis of a more permanent nature thanprevious release centres in the region inview that it will support indefinitely abiological barrier of sterile fly releases (ca.40 million flies per week) that will beestablished in the year 2000 over thenarrow Darien region, covering the areabetween the Panama Canal and theColombian border.

The new Panamanian release facility isthe consequence of impressive progressover the last 40 years which started with asuccessful pilot test in Curaçao in 1954directed by US scientists, E. F. Kniplingand R. C. Bushland. This was followed byscrewworm eradication in 1957-1959 inFlorida, and the rest of the USA between1962 and 1982. A co-operative agreementestablished between USDA and theMexican Secretary of Agriculture and

Livestock in 1972 culminated in theestablishment of a barrier at the Isthmus ofTehuantepec in 1984, and completeeradication of screwworm from all ofMexico in 1991.

Similar co-operative agreements withthe Central American Governments haveresulted in rapid progress since then. Successful SIT campaigns that haveachieved eradication of screwworm fromGuatemala and Belize in 1994, El Salvadorin 1995 and Honduras in 1996. Nicaraguais already free of screwworm and expectedto be officially declared free in 1999. Screwworms are already well controlled inCosta Rica and an eradication program hasrecently begun in northern Panama. Atpresent sterile flies are being released oversouthern Nicaragua, all of Costa Rica andwestern Panama. However, the SITreleases will soon move again southwardto reach the Panama Canal. Declaration oferadication of screwworm in Costa Rica isplanned for the year 2000, when it isexpected that all Panamanian territory willbe under sterile fly releases.

Economic assessments haveconservatively estimated that eradication ofscrewworm represents annual directbenefits to livestock industries that amountto ca. US$ 800 million for the USA, US$300 million for Mexico, and US$ 80million for Central America, not includingindirect benefits and environmentalimpacts, as well as the elimination of allhuman screwworm cases (several hundredper year in each of the Central Americancountries). Economists estimate that thesebenefits have a multiplier effect on theeconomies as a whole between 3.5 and 7-fold.

This large investment by the livestockindustries and governments of all thecountries involved, however, is still at riskas long as screwworm is present in variousCaribbean islands, representing acontinuous threat of new outbreaks inscrewworm-freed countries. Screwwormwas already eradicated from the Virgin

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Islands in 1972, Puerto Rico in 1975, andCuraçao in 1976 after screwworm hadreinvaded. The Caribbean countries wherescrewworm populations are still present areJamaica, Cuba, Haiti and the DominicanRepublic, as well as Trinidad and Tobago.

Over the last years and at the request ofCaribbean nations, we have increasinglybecome involved, together with our FAOcolleagues, in extending the successfulscrewworm SIT programmes in CentralAmerica to address the screwworm threatin the Caribbean. We have reported inprevious newsletters on the screwwormSIT programme we have initiated inJamaica with Jamaican and IAEA funding,together with USDA in-kind and technicalsupport. The first aerial sterile fly releasesare now programmed to start in April 1999and are scheduled to last for about 24months. The release centre to process the20 million sterile pupae which will bereceived weekly from the screwworm massrearing facility of the Mexico-USAScrewworm Commission in TuxtlaGutierrez, Mexico is presently being set upnear the international airport in Kingston. A new modular screwworm mass rearingfactory is presently being designed byUSDA and Panama and construction some10 km south of Panama City is tentativelyplanned to start in 2000 and to becompleted in 2002/3. This facility will beavailable starting in 2003 to procure sterileflies for future SIT campaigns in theCaribbean.

During the last two years, FAO hastaken the lead in assessing the screwwormsituation in Cuba, establishing monitoringand information systems and elaborating abenefit-cost study and a strategy documentfor screwworm eradication. Annualincidence of screwworm in cattle in Cubais around 60% and annual benefits ofscrewworm eradication are estimated atUS$ 33 million per year. Following thesuccessful model of the FAO and IAEAco-ordinated screwworm regionalprogramme in North Africa, which

achieved screwworm eradication in Libyain 1991-92, we have now initiateddiscussions with regional authoritiesincluding those from Cuba in preparationof a regional screwworm eradicationprogramme throughout the Caribbean. Aninitial SIT programme is planned in Isla dela Juventud off mainland Cuba (a 2,200square km island, about a quarter the sizeof Jamaica) which has 80,000 head ofcattle. The objective is to train Cuban staffin SIT operations and to refine costestimates for a future screwwormeradication programme in all of Cuba. Field assessments and preparatoryactivities, including monitoring andbenefit-cost studies, again supportedjointly by FAO and IAEA, are alsoscheduled for the Dominican Republic andHaiti during the biennium 1999-2000.

A thematic planning meeting on SITactivities for New World and Old Worldscrewworms, sponsored by IAEA, wasbeing held in Vienna at the time thisnewsletter is going to press. Representatives from the FAO, USDA, theMexico-US Screwworm Commission, theAustralian Government and CSIRO, andthe Cuban National Centre for Animal andPlant Health, participated in discussions onthe short and medium term research, aswell as operational strategies andrequirements to carry out SIT programmesagainst both pests. This meeting was alsoimportant since Australia has finished itsOld World Screwworm pilot mass rearingfacility in Malaysia, and this pest hasrecently invaded the Near East Region(Iraq and the Persian Gulf), and thereforerepresents a major threat to the wholeMediterranean region. In our nextnewsletter we will report on theagreements and conclusions reached duringthis meeting.

Jorge Hendrichs

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B. STAFF

The Sub-programme staff, consisting of those in the Joint FAO/IAEA Division located in theVienna International Centre, those in the FAO/IAEA Agricultural and BiotechnologyLaboratory in Seibersdorf Laboratory and field experts, are listed below.

Insect & Pest Control Section, IAEA, P.O. Box 100, A-1400 Vienna, AustriaNEW NUMBERS (Fax = +43-1-26007; Tel = +43-1-2600-21628)Jorge Hendrichs Head

e-mail: [email protected]

Udo Feldmann Technical Officer (Tsetse)e-mail: [email protected]

Pat Gomes Mediterranean Region Experte-mail: [email protected] (Fruit Flies)

Andrew Parker African Region Expert (Tsetse)e-mail: [email protected]

Maria-Eugenia Guerra-Garduño Secretarye-mail: [email protected]

Lucia Kruzic Secretarye-mail: [email protected]

Entomology Unit, FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory,A-2444 Seibersdorf, AustriaNEW NUMBERS (Tel: +43-1-2600 28402; Fax: +43-1-2600 28 222)

Alan Robinson Unit Heade-mail: [email protected]

Gerald Franz Medfly Genetics and Moleculare-mail: [email protected] Biology

Kingsley Fisher Medfly Rearing Technologye-mail: [email protected]

Elizabeth Opiyo Tsetse Rearing Technologye-mail: [email protected]

Jean-Pierre Cayol Medfly Behaviour Studiese-mail: [email protected]

Gracian Mutika JPO, Tsetse Mass Rearinge-mail: [email protected]

Field experts:

Marc Vreysen ETH/5/012 “Integrating SIT for Tsetse Eradication”, Ethiopiae-mail: [email protected]

J. Wendell Snow JAM/5/006 Eradication of the New World Screwworme-mail: [email protected]

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C. FORTHCOMING EVENTS

I. Research Co-ordination Meetings (RCM)

“Automation in Tsetse Mass-rearing forUse in Sterile Insect TechniqueProgrammes”, 12-16 April 1999,Vienna,Austria, 3rd RCM.

“Medfly Mating Behaviour Studies UnderField Cage Conditions”, 29 June - 3 July,1999, Guatemala City, Guatemala. 4th andfinal RCM.

“Molecular and Genetic Approach toDevelop Sexing Strains for FieldApplications in Fruit Fly Sterile InsectTechnique Programmes”, 12 - 16 July1999, Tapachula, Mexico, 3rd RCM.

“Genetics Application to Improve the SITfor Tsetse Control/Eradication includingPopulation Genetics”, September 1999,Vienna, Austria. 2nd RCM.

“Evaluating the Use of Nuclear Techniquesfor the Colonisation and Production ofNatural Enemies”, autumn 1999, 1st RCM.

“Quality Assurance of Mass Produced andReleased Fruit Flies”, autumn 1999, 1st

RCM.

II. Consultants Meetings

“Thematic planning for Old and New-World Screwworm Control”, 10 - 12November 1998, Vienna, Austria.

“Programme on African Animal Trypano-somosis”, 25-27 November 1998, Vienna,Austria.

III. FAO/IAEA Training Courses

Training course on “Integrated Control ofFruit Flies, with Emphasis in the SterileInsect Technique”, 30 November - 4December 1998, Lima, Peru.

Training course on "Quarantine Proceduresin Support of the Development of Fly-FreeAreas", February 1999, Tacna, Peru.

Interregional Training Course on the “Useof the Sterile Insect and RelatedTechniques for the Area-WideManagement of Insect Pests”, Gainesville,Florida, 14 April - 19 May 1999. Deadlinefor Nominations is January 15, 1999. Adetailed prospectus and application formare included as a pull-out in the centre ofthis newsletter.

FAO/IAEA Regional Training Course on“The Sterile Insect Technique as aComponent for Integrated Area-wide Tsetseand Trypanosomosis Management”, 20March to 14 April 2000.Preliminary announcement. The course isproposed to last four weeks and will includelectures and practical work in the laboratoryand the field. Emphasis will be placed on:principles of area-wide insect pest control /eradication; general introduction in thecomplexity of tsetse and trypanosomosismanagement; a refresher course in tsetsemorphology and reproductive physiologyrelevant to SIT programmes; introduction totsetse mass-production; overview ofepidemiology and methods forparasitological and serological monitoringtechniques used in interventionprogrammes; methods for pre-release tsetsepopulation suppression, fly populationmonitoring and maintenance of barriersystems; methods for sterile male releases;use of GIS and principles of decision taking

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in tsetse SIT eradication programmes;awareness of essential supportive andadministrative aspects relevant to theoperation of a tsetse SIT eradicationcampaign, including public relationsactivities; environmental appropriateness oftsetse control measures and of land use afterintervention campaigns.

The course will be open to senior tsetsecontrol staff, with preference toveterinarians and entomologists who are orwill likely be involved in area-wide tsetseand trypanosomosis managementcampaigns. Full details, and instructions forapplications, will be confirmed in a laterNewsletter.

D. PAST EVENTS (1997-1998)

I. Research Co-ordination Meetings(RCM)

“Development of Female MedflyAttractant Systems for Trapping andSterility Assessment”, 20-24 January 1997,Madeira, Portugal. 2nd RCM.

“Automation in Tsetse Mass-rearing forUse in Sterile Insect TechniqueProgrammes”, 27 February- 4 March 1997,Tanga, Tanzania. 2nd RCM.

“Genetic Applications to Improve theSterile Insect Technique for TsetseControl/Eradication Including GeneticSexing”, 10-14 February 1997, AddisAbaba, Ethiopia. 1st RCM.

“Molecular and Genetic Approach toDevelop Sexing Strains for FieldApplications in Fruit Fly Sterile InsectTechnique Programmes”, July, 1997,Guatemala City, Guatemala. 2nd RCM.

“Medfly Mating Behaviour Studies UnderField Cage Conditions”, September, 1997,Tel Aviv, Israel. 3rd RCM

“Evaluation of Population Suppression byIrradiated Lepidoptera and their Progeny”,26 - 30 May 1998, Penang, Malaysia. 3rdand final RCM

“Improved Attractants for Enhancing theEfficiency of Tsetse Fly SuppressionOperations and Barrier Systems used inTsetse Control/Eradication Campaigns”,26 - 30 May 1998, Penang, Malaysia. 2ndRCM

“Development of Medfly AttractantSystems for Trapping and SterilityAssessment”, 26 - 30 May 1998, Penang,Malaysia. 3rd and final RCM

“Enhancement of the Sterile MaleTechnique Through Genetic Trans-formation Using Nuclear Techniques”,June 1998, Penang, Malaysia. 2nd RCM

Proceedings are available on request atthe Insect & Pest Control Section’soffice.

II. Consultants Meetings

“Use of Nuclear Techniques in BiologicalControl: Managing Pests, FacilitatingTrade and Protecting the Environment”.April 14-18, 1997, Vienna, Austria.

“International Standardisation of QualityControl Procedures and Parameters forMass Reared and Released Fruit Flies”, 5-9May, 1997, Vienna, Austria.

“Standardisation of Quality Control inFruit Fly Mass Rearing”, 25-27 May, 1998,Penang, Malaysia.

“Co-ordination meeting for Mediterraneanfruit fly SIT projects in the Near East”, 13-15 October 1998, Vienna, Austria.

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Proceedings are available on requestfrom the Insect & Pest Control Section’soffice.

III. FAO/IAEA Training Courses

National Training Course on “MethylBromide Fumigation Technology forQuarantine Treatments Against FruitFlies”, Concordia, Entre Rios, Argentina,February, 1997.

National Workshop organised bySENASA/PROCEM in conjunction withthe IAEA on “Advances in ResearchSupport for the National Fruit FlyProgramme”, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 27-29 May, 1997.

National Training Course on “BasicTraining on Integrated New WorldScrewworm (NWS) Control/Eradicationwith Emphasis on the Sterile InsectTechnique (SIT)”, Kingston, Jamaica, 6-27August, 1997.

Bi-National Chile-Peru Training Course on“Quarantine Procedures and Treatments inSupport of the Mediterranean Fruit FlyEradication Campaign in Tacna andMoquegua, Peru”, Lima, Peru, 24-26September, 1997.

Regional Training Course on the “Use ofSIT in Support of Integrated Area-wideMethods to Combat Tsetse andTrypanosomosis”, Tanga and Zanzibar,Tanzania, Africa - November-December,1997.

Regional Latin American Training Courseon the “Use of the Sterile Insect Techniquein Support of Area-Wide Integrated FruitFly Control / Eradication Programmes”,Tapachula, Mexico and Guatemala City,Guatemala, October, 1997.

Regional Training Course on “Use of SITand Related Methods for the integrated

Area-wide Fruit Fly Control / Eradicationin the Near East and the MediterraneanBasin”, Madeira, Portugal, November,1997.

Workshop in conjunction with SENASAon “Area-Wide Integrated Control of FruitFlies in the Littoral Citrus Region”,Concordia, Entre Rios, Argentina, 23-25June 1997.

Seminar held in conjunction withINFRUITEC on “Feasibility Assessmentfor Fruitfly Eradication using SIT”,Stellenbosch, Western Cape, Republic ofSouth Africa, 28-29 April 1998.

National Training Course on “IntegratedArea-wide Control of Fruit Flies”, 8-12June 1998, Patum Thanee, Thailand.

2nd National Workshop organised bySENASA/PROCEM in conjunction withthe IAEA on “Advances in ResearchSupport for the National Fruit FlyProgramme”, Buenos Aires, Argentina,August, 1998.

Group training course on “PlantQuarantine Procedures against Fruit Fliesfor Quarantine Inspectors andSupervisors”, 17 - 21 August 1998, Lima,Peru.

IV. Other meetings

5th International Symposium on Fruit Fliesof Economic Importance, 1-5 June 1998Penang, Malaysia (see page 19).

FAO/IAEA International Conference on“Area-Wide Control of Insect Pests,Integrating the Sterile Insect Techniqueand Related Nuclear and OtherTechniques”, 28 May - 2 June 1998,Penang, Malaysia (see page 26).

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E. TECHNICAL CO-OPERATIONPROJECTS

Over the last four years, the Section hashad technical responsibility for over 35technical co-operation projects. They fallunder four major areas, namely:

• Tsetse• Fruit Flies• F-1 Sterility for the Control of

Lepidopteran Pests• Screwworm and Others

Current 0perational Projects (1997-1998)are:

ARG/5/005 Fruit Fly Eradication in theSouth Region

ETH/5/012 Integrating SIT for TsetseEradication

GRE/5/01 Control of the MediterraneanFruit Fly in Crete

IRQ/5/014 Field Monitoring andLaboratory Rearing of Old WorldScrewworm

ISR/5/009 Feasibility Study of SIT forMedfly Eradication

JAM/5/006 Eradication of the New WorldScrewworm: Preparatory Phase

JOR/5/007 Feasibility of Area-wideControl of Medfly by SIT

LEB/5/013 Feasibility of IntegratedControl of Medfly Using SIT

MAR/5/009 Control of DiamondbackMoth by Sterile Insect Technique

PHI/5/026 Integrated Control of OrientalFruit Fly on Guimaras Island

POR/5/005 Mediterranean Fruit FlyProgramme on Madeira

RAF/5/040 SIT for Tsetse andTrypanosomosis Management in Africa

RLA/5/039 Bi-national Project Chile-Peru:Eradication of the Fruit Fly in SouthernPeru

SAF/5/002 Feasibility Assessment for FruitFly Eradication Using SIT

SYR/5/016 Preparation for Codling MothManagement Using SIT

THA/5/044 Extension of Areas UnderIntegrated Fruit Fly Control

URT/5/018 Entomological and VeterinaryMonitoring on Zanzibar

New projects starting in 1999-2000 are:

ALG/5/017 Control of the Date Mothusing SIT/F-1 Sterility Principle

INT/5/145 Promotion and transfer ofSterile Insect Technology

IRQ/5/016 Field monitoring and rearing ofold-world screwworm

JAM/5/007 New World Screw-wormEradication

MAL/5/023 Feasibility of Old WorldScrew-worm control through SIT

PAL/5/002 Area-wide application of SITfor Medfly Control

RAW/5/008 Preparing to combat the oldworld screwworm in west Asia.

RLA/5/044 Preparing Caribbeaneradication of new world screwworm.

SLR/5/002 Feasibility Study for a MassRearing Insect Facility.

SYR/5/019 Controlling codling moth forapple crop using SIT.

TUN/5/019 Control of the date moth usingradiation sterilisation.

UGA/5/021 Integrated Tsetse Control inBuvuma Island - Phase II

URT/5/019 Support to National Tsetse andTrypanosomosis Management

In keeping with our policy to highlightactivities in a few of our Technical Co-operation projects in each Newsletter thefollowing projects are discussed in thisissue.

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Feasibility of Eradicating Ceratitis spp.Fruit Flies from the Western Cape of SouthAfrica by the Sterile Insect Technique(SAF/5/002)

The Western Cape is the most importantarea for the production of deciduous fruitand table grapes in South Africa, withapproximately 110,000 ha currently underproduction. Most fruit is produced invalley systems in about 14 differentproduction areas which are isolated fromone another to a greater or lesser extent. Two species of fruit fly infest these fruits,the Natal fruit fly Ceratitis rosa, and theMediterranean fruit fly C. capitata. Theprincipal control strategy consists of one tothree full-cover organophosphateinsecticide sprays per season. Bait spraysare used to a lesser extent. Significanttrade and other benefits would accrue fromone or more production areas beingdeclared “low-pesticide” or fruit fly free.

Many production areas are sufficientlyisolated to favour the use of the sterileinsect technique (SIT) to control or insome cases to eradicate fruit flypopulations. The Joint FAO/IAEADivision is collaborating with the Fruit,Vine & Wine Research Institute in a studyto determine the feasibility of using SIT toeradicate fruit fly from one or more areasin the Western Cape. An SIT cost-benefitstudy has indicated that it would beeconomically feasible to eradicate fruitflies from the entire Western Cape in oneco-ordinated operation. However, ifseparate SIT operations were considered inthe different production areas, anintegrated SIT approach may be justified inonly four of these areas.

As part of the feasibility study, a pilotSIT project has been launched in the HexRiver Valley, South Africa’s principaltable grape production and export area. Itsgeographical isolation renders it the mostsuitable area in the Western Cape for anSIT programme. Intensive monitoring isbeing carried out with 300 traps deployed

throughout the valley. Co-ordinated baitapplications are being made to reduce thefruit fly populations in anticipation ofreleases of sterile flies in late winter(August 1999).

Shipments of sterile flies from Guatemala(GUA/5/013) to Israel

The largest facility to date for theproduction of male sterile Mediterraneanfruit flies, located outside Guatemala City(El Pino Facility) has been providing sterilemales for the lower Jordan Valley. The ElPino facility is currently producing onlysterile males, achieved through the use of atemperature sensitive lethal (tsl) GeneticSexing Strain (GSS) that was developed inco-operation with the FAO/IAEA’sSeibersdorf laboratories. Production throughthis new technology is running at about 250million sterile males/week includingshipments to SIT programme in Californiaand Florida. The process provides 99.99%males for the releases. Two batches of fourmillion pupae from this production are senteach week from Guatemala City to Israel.Special shipment conditions are required toensure that the insects arrive in goodcondition after about 48 hrs in transit. Afteremergence the flies are released in the lowerJordan Valley on both sides of the Israel-Jordan border. Transportation of the insectshas been successful and the quantity of fliesis likely to increase with the aim ofexpanding the control of the Mediterraneanfruit fly population in export produce areas,while reducing the use of pesticides.

MODEL PROJECTS

Tsetse Eradication in Ethiopia (ETH5/012)

Field operations are now underway,with collection of baseline tsetsedistribution data. All five field teams areactive in their designated areas, and theinitial survey is scheduled to be completedby early in 1999. Negotiations are

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underway with ILRI for the baseline socio-economic and veterinary surveys, wheretheir considerable experience in this fieldwill greatly assist the national team.

Development of the colony inSeibersdorf has been seriously hamperedby problems with contaminated packagingmaterial used for shipping the pupae fromArba Minch. Fresh packaging material hasbeen supplied, and steps have been takento establish a temporary membrane feedingfacility in Addis Ababa to supplement thecollection of pupae. Plans for a small scalerearing facility at Kaliti, near Addis Ababa,have been prepared, and work should startshortly on converting the existing building.Land for the main production facility hasbeen secured, and preliminary designs forthe production factory should be readysoon based on the prototype cage handlingunit at Seibersdorf.

Continuing progress in ZanzibarURT/5/016

Two recent expert missions to UngujaIsland, Zanzibar, as part of the posteradication monitoring by Dr. G. Leak andDr. M. J. Vreysen have failed to find anyevidence of either tsetse flies ortrypanosomosis on the island.

Dr. Leak from ILRI visited at thebeginning of September to assist with thetrypanosome survey, and additionalanimals were bled in the areasaround Kwebona, Jozani,Mungoni and Muyuni sincethese are the former T. vivaxareas. By the end of October atotal of 2240 animals had beenbled from all areas of the island. All were found negative by themicro haematocrit centrifugetechnique as was the case in allprevious bleedings sinceSeptember 1997.

Due to the additionalveterinary work tsetsemonitoring was reduced during

Dr. Leak’s mission but was maintained inJozani, Muyuni and Mapopwe. Dr.Vreysen visited in the second half ofSeptember to assist with the tsetse surveyand visited all former tsetse hot spotsincluding Jozani A and D, coastal andcentral Muyuni, Mapopwe andMangapwani, and during his visitmonitoring in the middle belt was resumed.Extra panels were added in Muyuni area tobring the total number of panels deployedto 229. All panels were visited andreplaced on a weekly basis. No fly wascaught, extending the period since the lastfly capture to more than two years.

Tsetse monitoring will continuethroughout 1999, while trypanosomemonitoring will continue until the end of2000.

Medfly control in Argentina ARG/5/005

Important results have been achievedthroughout the 870,000 hectares of theproject working area in which medflyeradication activities are taking place. Theproject covers the large fruit and vegetableproducing valleys in Patagonia, Mendozaand San Juan regions in Argentina. After 5years of technical support provided throughIAEA and FAO technical co-operationprojects to these Area-Wide Pest ControlProgrammes, Argentina is now self-sufficient in providing technical and

MEAN DAILY MEDFLY CAPTURES, MENDOZA PROVINCE, ARGENTINA

0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

1.60

1.80

2.00

Year

Fly

/Tra

p/D

ay

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

Sterile Fly Releases

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scientific support to their own fruit flyeradication activities including the SterileInsect Technique, medfly genetic sexingtechnology and post-harvest quarantinetreatments against fruit flies.

Over these huge areas, dedicated mainlyto fruit and vegetable production andexport, more than 15,000 growers (large,medium and small fruit and vegetablefarmers) are benefiting from theprogramme. Trial releases started inMendoza in 1991, and following the firstfull scale releases in 1992-3 the wildpopulation rapidly declined. Financialproblems in late 1995 as a result of the“tequila effect” (the peso crisis in Mexico),caused a late start to sterile fly releases andthe wild population resurged in early 1996,but this was brought back under control thenext year (see graph). Very low and insome commercial production areas almostzero detection of the pest (San Rafael andUco Valleys in Mendoza, as well as AltoValle in Patagonia) is adding high qualityand value to the produce and better marketopportunities are now available.

As a result of this progress, Argentinaand Chile (which is already medfly freefollowing a successful SIT projectsupported by IAEA/FAO) have signed anagreement for close co-operation onmedfly control and a joint strategy forestablishing a binational fruit fly free areathat would bring additional benefits to bothcountries’ international trade in fruit andvegetables.

As a result of the contribution of theFAO and IAEA, Argentina and Chile arealready regional centres in South Americafor development and expertise in the Area-Wide Concept in fruit fly control anderadication techniques. Presently,Argentina is providing technical support(including provision of sterile medflies) toother incipient fruit fly programmes withinArgentina (La Rioja, San Luis, Cordoba,Entre Rios, Buenos Aires, Corrientes,Misiones, Catamarca and Tucuman) and

Chile to the on-going programme insouthern Peru.

Almost 30 million dollars were investedby the government and fruit growers ofArgentina in medfly control during theperiod from 1994 to 1998. Of this amount,around 6% was contributed by IAEA andFAO.

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F. EXISTING AND PLANNED CO-ORDINATED RESEARCH PROJECTS(CRP)

Enhancement of the Sterile InsectTechnique (SIT) through GeneticTransformation Using Nuclear Techniques(D4. 10.12)

Since the first Research Co-ordinationMeeting (RCM) held in Vienna in late1996, major breakthroughs have beenmade in the development of non-drosophilid insect transformation systems. There have been 4 published reports inpeer reviewed international journals oftransposable elements being used togenetically transform 2 non-drosophilidspecies, the medfly Ceratitis capitata andthe yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. These developments make it possible nowto design and execute experiments aimedat the production of genetically engineeredmedfly strains that can be used to augmentexisting SIT strategies. Thesedevelopments will also result in theidentification and cloning of strategicgenes and/or promoters from medfly thatcan be incorporated into existing strainsand developed into new strains for the SIT.

Expected duration: 5 years (1995-99)

Contract Holders (1) from Greece

Agreement Holders (6) from Australia,United Kingdom, United States (2) andItaly (2).

A Molecular and Genetic Approach toDevelop Sexing Strains for FieldApplication in Fruit Fly SIT Programmes(D4.10.15)

The first and second RCM’s of thisCRP have now been completed. The firstwas in Mendoza, Argentina (March 1996)and the 2nd in Guatemala City, Guatemala(July 1997). The venues were chosen asgenetic sexing strains are being reared atfacilities in both of these locations and thisgives the participants the opportunity toappreciate the constraints associated withthe introduction of genetic sexing strainsinto operational programmes.

During the course of the CRP geneticsexing strains have been introduced intomass rearing facilities in Argentina,Guatemala, Chile, Madeira and Crete. Inaddition Hawaii and Western Australia arepreparing to rear genetic sexing strains.The expertise developed in the CRP hasbeen essential in order that this technologytransfer meets the needs of the customer. Inother fruit fly species, progress towards thedevelopment of genetic sexing strains hasbeen made in the areas of polytenechromosome analysis and the isolation ofgenetic markers. There is also anincreasing emphasis on the use ofmolecular techniques targeted to thecloning of sex determination genes.

A proposal has been made to extend theCRP for a further year into 2000. The nextRCM will be held in Tapachula, Mexicofrom 12-16 July, 1999.


Contract Holders (6) from Argentina,Bangladesh, Brazil, Greece, Guatemala,Philippines and United States of America.

Agreement Holders (3) from Australia,Italy and the United States.

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Automation in Tsetse Fly Mass-rearing forUse in Sterile Insect TechniqueProgrammes (D4.20.06)

Several stages in the mass production oftsetse have been addressed so far. Progresshas been good in the automated stocking ofproduction cages, where it is now possibleto emerge flies under controlled conditionsinto production cages to give the desiredfemale to male ratio of 4:1, with less than0.5% females remaining in the un-emergedpupae, for both G. austeni and G.pallidipes. The necessary conditions forother species remain to be determined.

The automated recognition of males andfemales has given mixed results. Atransport system has been devised thatmoves the flies one at a time at emergencepast a camera, where high quality imagescan be captured. So far though thevariation in light intensity and orientationof the flies is too great for the imagerecognition software to reliably separatemales and females.

Work on an improved system to handlecages for feeding is progressing well. Afirst fully automated prototype proved tobe too complicated and a second prototypeis now undergoing trials and shows goodpromise of reducing the effort of cagehandling by approximately ten fold. Thesystem holds 63 large cages on a singletrolley that can be moved to feed all thecages simultaneously and then returned tothe larval collecting unit. After furthertesting and modification this version isexpected in the future to be installed inEthiopia for the mass rearing of G.pallidipes.

Other work has looked at the handlingfactors affecting flight ability in irradiatedmales, increasing cage holding density bythe use of inserts, blood decontamination,energy saving, and colonisation of G.longipalpis.

The next RCM is scheduled for 12 - 16April 1999 in Vienna.


Contract Holders: (5) from Austria (2),Czech Republic, Burkina Faso, Tanzaniaand Nigeria.

Improved Attractants for Enhancing theEfficiency of Tsetse Fly SuppressionOperations and Barrier Systems Used inTsetse Control/Eradication Campaigns(D4.20.08)

This CRP was set up to address theshortcomings in attractants for a number ofimportant tsetse species where the standardodours used for G. morsitans and G.pallidipes are poor or ineffective, and togenerally try to improve effectiveness andreduce cost.

So far the Nile monitor lizard has beenconfirmed to be the principal host of G.palpalis gambiensis and G. f. fuscipes byblood meal analysis, but odourexperiments using live lizards have beeninconclusive.

A number of natural kairomones andtheir analogues have been synthesised, andtested in laboratory experiments or in thefield. Decylaldehyde increased caches ofG. austeni, and linoleic acid, a possibleprecursor of 1-octan-3-ol also provedactive.

Molecular modelling of the structure ofknown attractants has indicated possiblenew synthetic attractants, and several ofthese have proved active in laboratorytests. This approach could lead to theidentification of not only more attractiveand cheaper compounds, but alsoattractants for the current “difficult” tsetsespecies.

Work is also going on to characterisethe cuticular hydrocarbon sex pheromonesof tsetse, for use in assessing populationdifferences. Comparisons of conspecificpopulations have shown that thehydrocarbons mixtures are usually verysimilar.

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Contract Holders (5) from Mali, BurkinaFaso, Kenya and Hungary.

Agreement Holders (3) from the UnitedKingdom, the United States andSwitzerland.

Evaluation of Population Suppression byIrradiated Lepidoptera and their Progeny(D4.10.11)

This CRP was concluded in June 1998.Drs. F. Marec and J. Carpenter are editingthe final proceedings which will bepublished as a special issue of the FloridaEntomologist, which is available on-line.(http://www.fcla.ufl.edu/FlaEnt/feissues.htm)

Development of Female Medfly AttractantSystems for Trapping and SterilityAssessment (D4.10.13).

This CRP was concluded in mid 1998and has resulted in an effective femalemedfly attractant system that was tested in16 countries and is now commerciallyavailable and being used in manyoperational projects including Californiaand Florida. Dr M. Heath is editing thefinal proceedings which will be availableas a technical publication (TECDOC) fromthe IAEA. See also the extended item inSection H (page 23) summarising theoutcome of this CRP.

Medfly Mating Behaviour Studies underField Cage Conditions (D4.10.14)

Slow motion video-recordings of thesexual behaviour of wild and/or mass-produced flies have been collected fromArgentina, Costa Rica, Greece, Guatemala,Israel, Kenya, Madeira, Mexico andReunion for centralised analysis. Though athorough quantitative analysis is stillpending, preliminary results showed thatno consistent qualitative difference can be

found between the courtship behaviour ofmales from the different wild populations.

Field cage tests with host trees havebeen found to be the most reliable toolavailable to assess mating performance andsexual compatibility of mass-reared medflymales when competing with wild males forwild females. There is clear evidence fromthe tests and field assessment studies thatsome quantitative differences in term ofmating performance and sexual activitybetween mass-reared and wild flies can bedetected.

Among the most important outcomes ofthe CRP it was shown that, for thecountries represented in the CRP with theexception of populations in Kauai,Hawaii, and Madeira, Portugal, no sexualincompatibility was encountered betweenmass-reared and wild medfly populationsor among wild medfly populations fromdifferent geographic origins.

Expected duration: 5 years (1993 - 98)

Contract Holders (8) from Argentina,Costa Rica, Greece, Guatemala, Israel,Mexico, Reunion and Kenya.

Agreement Holders (1) from the UnitedStates.

Genetic Applications to Improve the SITfor Tsetse Control/Eradication IncludingGenetic Sexing (D4.20.05)

The first RCM was held in AddisAbaba, Ethiopia in February, 1997. It washeld in Ethiopia to acquaint theparticipants with the preparations for thefuture SIT programme in the Southern Riftvalley and to focus the work of the CRP onGlossina pallidipes populations, the targetfor the SIT programme. A report of themeeting is available from the Section.

During this first meeting detailedresearch goals were elaborated and theyfocused on the development of PCR basedanalytical tools which will be used to

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investigate the degree of populationisolation of the target population in theSouthern Rift valley. It was also decided todevelop polytene chromosome analysis fortsetse. Other work that will be carried outin the CRP includes the analysis ofrefractoriness in tsetse and the possible useof genetic incompatibilities betweendifferent taxa of tsetse.

The next meeting will be in Vienna inSeptember 1999.


Contract Holders (3) from Greece, Kenyaand Italy.

Agreement Holders (5) from Greece,Kenya and Belgium, Canada, UnitedStates, Italy

Reports of the RCMs are available uponrequest from the offices of the Section.

The following two Co-ordinated ResearchProjects are scheduled to be initiated in1999 subject to approval and availabilityof funding. We still encourage applicationsfor participation:

Evaluating the Use of Nuclear Techniquesfor the Colonisation and Production ofNatural Enemies

Objective: The proposed CRP has theobjective of evaluating the use of nucleartechniques in improving the production,shipping and deployment of biologicalcontrol agents to manage pests, facilitatetrade and protect the environment.

Considerable technological advanceshave been made in mass-rearing ofparasitoids and predators for augmentativebiological control. The large scaleavailability of natural enemies of keyinsect pests opens the way for totallybiological systems of pest control, wheremass releases of natural enemies can

suppress pest densities in the field and soact synergistically with sterile insectreleases to control wild insect populationswithin the context of area-wide integratedpest management programmes. Nucleartechniques can also play an important rolein the production of natural enemies, asrecent research has shown thatparasitisation rates are increased inirradiated host larvae. Irradiation can alsoprevent the escape of fertile prey orunparasitised adult pest insects andartificial diets for mass-rearing of naturalenemies can be decontaminated usingirradiation.

Expected duration: 5 years (1999 - 04)

There has been a good response to thisinitiative and a number of proposals areunder consideration. Further submissionsare still welcome.

Quality Assurance of Mass Produced andReleased Fruit Flies

Objective: To improve and standardiseinternationally quality control andassurance procedures for mass producedfruit flies. There are now over ten fruit flymass rearing facilities in the world thatproduce sterile flies for SIT programmes.With international trade in sterile insectsbecoming a reality, it is important thatproducers and users apply internationallystandardised quality control procedures. ACRP involving behaviourists, physiologistsand mass rearing specialists will allowfine-tuning of the internationally acceptedstandards and procedures as well asdeveloping new tests measuring morerepresentative parameters. A ConsultantsGroup Meeting on the InternationalStandardisation of Quality ControlProcedures for Mass Reared and ReleasedFruit Flies was held in May 1997 inVienna. It produced an updatedinternational manual of standard QC

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procedures (see Section H, page 28) andrecommended implementing this CRP toaddress those technical issues that requirefine-tuning and those that could not beresolved and therefore require a co-ordinated R&D approach to develop newor better QC tests.


We strongly encourage behaviourists,physiologists and mass rearing specialistsfrom the relevant countries rearingfacilities and research institutions oruniversities to put forward proposals forthis co-ordinated research project.

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G. DEVELOPMENTS AT THEENTOMOLOGY UNIT, SEIBERSDORF

MEDFLY

Genetic SexingThe use of genetic sexing strains (GSS)

in operational SIT programmes continuesto increase. To ensure that this transfer oftechnology is providing a satisfactoryproduct to the end-user, R and D support inthe form of provision of current strains orthe development of new ones, remains ahigh priority. Strains are developed, testedunder mass rearing conditions and theirmating behaviour evaluated before beingtransferred to operational facilities.

The widespread acceptance of male onlystrains as an important component ofoperational SIT programmes requiresincreasing attention from the Unit toensure that the appropriate support isprovided on a continuing basis, and thatstrain transfer is not a “one off” event.

GSS Vienna 7-97This new strain was chosen for mass

rearing evaluation as the position of thetranslocation breakpoint was predicted toimprove stability and mass rearingcharacteristics. The strain was not back-crossed to any field strain before testing itsmass rearing characteristics. The massrearing characteristics of this strain haveproved to be excellent with no build up ofrecombinants, even in the absence of afilter (see below), after 19 generations ofmass rearing.

There is concern however about themating behaviour of this strain, especiallywhen mating with wild flies from Madeira.

VIENNA 7-97 was tested in thegreenhouse against wild populations fromIsrael, South Africa and Madeira. Themating competitiveness of VIENNA 7-97males was found satisfactory when testedwith wild Israel and South Africa flies(VIENNA 7-97 males achieved about 25%of wild female mates). However, testedunder the same conditions, VIENNA 7-97males do not compete successfully withwild Madeira flies and achieve only 7% ofwild female mates. Similar results werealso found on site in Madeira during fieldcage tests. Despite the fact that massrearing quality control data was verysatisfactory, the unexplained poor matingbehaviour of VIENNA 7-97 with Madeiraflies is giving some concern. The strain isbeing back-crossed to field material andthe tests will be repeated to assess whetherthe mating effect is due to the translocationor to the genetic background.

Filter Technology for Mass RearingThe maintenance of long term stability

during mass rearing of genetic sexingstrains is essential if these strains are togain wide acceptance. To help in thisregard a filter system has been developedtogether with colleagues at Moscamed,Guatemala, in which a small colony of thegenetic sexing strain is maintained byremoving recombinants by hand. Thiscolony is then used to feed eggs into themass rearing system which then multipliesthese eggs over a limited number ofgenerations to produce the requirednumbers of flies for release. This filterprinciple can also be used for conventionalstrains in order to rear colonies under lowstress conditions to maintain importantcomponents of courtship and matingbehaviours.

InversionsChromosomal inversions can be used in

two ways in combination with geneticsexing strains. They can reduce instabilityand they facilitate the introduction of wild

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genetic material into the strains. Incollaboration with AntigoneZacharopoulou in Patras and CarlosCaceres in Guatemala, a series of 8inversions has been isolated andcharacterised cytogenetically. Althoughnone of the inversions covers all therequired markers the mating procedures arenow so efficient that additional inversionscan now be routinely isolated. Althoughthe need for inversions to stabilise geneticsexing strains has somewhat reduced dueto the success of the filter system, they arestill very important to ensure the easytransfer of wild genetic material into thestrains.

Mating BehaviourAn exhaustive study of mating

compatibility between medfly populationsfrom different parts of the world has nowbeen completed. This study also includedmating studies between genetic sexingstrains and wild populations. Wildpopulations from 9 countries, coveringmost of the geographical range of medfly,were tested as well as 4 genetic sexingstrains.

The study demonstrated for the firsttime that there appear to be no pre-matingisolation barriers for medfly over its wholegeographic range and this indicates that if aparticular genetic sexing strain shows goodmating competitiveness with onepopulation there is a good chance that itwill be effective against others. In practicalterms this means that a single wellcharacterised strain, regularly refreshedwith wild genetic material, could be usedin many facilities world wide.

Transgenic fliesAs reported in the previous Newsletter

genetic transformation was achieved usinga particular genetic vector named piggybac. Stable transformed lines are nowbeing maintained and analysed. A secondvector, Hermes, has now been shown to beable to transform medfly. The current rapid

progress in medfly transformation and theincreasing demand for the facilities atSeibersdorf has required the refurbishmentof part of the Unit into a transgenic facility.This facility will enable the work to becarried out in a biologically responsiblemanner and with more space available.

TSETSE

Mass Rearing DevelopmentsThe implementation of the tsetse SIT

programme in the Southern Rift valley inEthiopia will require extensive R and D interms of fly production and handling. Thescale of the operation will require newprocedures and concepts to be developed.Two aspects will be highlighted here.

TPU2The “tsetse production unit 2” (TPU2)

is a conceptually simple set of equipmentwhich is used to hold and feed largenumbers of flies and to collect pupae fromthem. A prototype is now under evaluationwhich carries 63 large cages containing intotal about 15,000 female flies. Aspects offly density, mating efficiency andproduction are being tested using Glossinapallidipes, the target species in Ethiopia.The TPU2 is robust, simple, easilyconstructed and can be manufactured andassembled in Ethiopia.

Self stocking of cagesUsing a difference in the emergence

time of male and female G. pallidipes asystem has been developed whereby adultflies of the right sex ratio and number canbe added to cages without handling theflies. This procedure has been developedbased on the observations that a ratio of 1male to 4 females is acceptable in the cageand that flies of both sexes can be placed inthe cage immediately after emergence. Thiscage stocking system will now be used tostock the cages for the TPU2.

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G. pallidipes Colony from Arba MinchFor the SIT release programme in

Ethiopia it will be essential that a massreared colony of G. pallidipes isestablished from the target area. Until arearing facility is constructed in Ethiopiathe responsibility for building up thecolony is at Seibersdorf. Pupae arereceived at regular intervals from Ethiopiaand the emerging flies fed directly on themembrane feeding system. Problems havebeen encountered in obtaining viable adultsfrom Ethiopia although once the flies havesurvived the first 24 hours in Seibersdorftheir survival and productivity areacceptable. Recent changes have beenmade to the pupal collection procedure inEthiopia and it is hoped that this will nowimprove. The colony currently stands at2000 females.

Other Areas of Interest1) Radiation studies: There is no data on

the radiation sensitivity of G. pallidipesand a series of experiments has been setup to identify the correct dose to use foreffective sterilisation of males.

2) Freeze dried blood: A large test on thelong term effects of feeding freeze driedblood to tsetse, as opposed to freshfrozen blood, is coming to a conclusion.The test shows that blood can be storedfor an extended period under ambientconditions without significant loss ofquality after freeze drying, and althoughfecundity is slightly reduced, mortalityis no higher than normal. The utilisationof freeze dried blood would give a largeprogramme the ability to switch dietsfor a limited period if an emergencyoccurred with the supply of fresh frozenblood without jeopardising the colony.The effects of feeding freeze driedblood over several generations are nowbeing evaluated.

3) New colonies: A colony of G. morsitanscentralis from Botswana is now beingsuccessfully established in the event thatan SIT programme for this species in

the Okavango Delta becomes a reality.A colony of G. swynnertoni derivedfrom that in the laboratory of Dr. R.Gooding in Canada will also beestablished.

4) The Unit continues to supply anincreasing number of researchers inmany parts of the world with tsetsematerial. The closure of tsetse rearinglaboratories in many parts of the worldhas dictated that the Unit take over thesupport for many tsetse R and Dprojects.

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H. SPECIAL NEWS AND REPORTS

5th International Symposium on Fruit Fliesof Economic Importance, 1-5 June 1998Penang, Malaysia

The Minister of Agriculture forMalaysia, Datuk Amar Dr. Sulaiman HajiDaud, opened the 5th International Fruit FlySymposium on the 1st of June 1998. In abrief ceremony, Patrick Gomes,Chairperson for the International SteeringCommittee, provided opening remarksfollowed by a presentation of the UniversitiSains Malaysia, which served as sponsorsand convenors of the symposium.Professor Tan Keng Hong, School ofBiological Sciences, Universiti of SainsMalaysia, served as the local organiser ofthe symposium.

A total of 194 participants from 45countries met for 4 days to discussprogress in the development of newtechnologies and the implementation ofprojects to better control fruit fly pests. Atotal of 12 sessions were held that includedpresentation and poster discussions. Topicscovered included Area-wide Fruit FlyAction Programmes; Area-wideApproaches to Fruit Fly Management;Quarantine and Post-Harvest Treatments;Biotechnology, Genetics, and MolecularBiology; Genetic Sexing and the SterileInsect Technique; Rearing, Quality Controland Nutrition; Ecology and Demography;Biochemistry and Physiology; Semio-chemicals and Field Monitoring;Behaviour; Biosystematics, Biodiversityand Evolution; and Natural Enemies andBeneficial Fruit Flies. A total of 31 papersand 202 posters were presented. A jointproceedings with the FAO/IAEAInternational Conference will be publishedin the coming year.

South Africa was selected as the venuefor the 6th International Symposium onFruit Flies of Economic Importance to beheld in four years time, in 2002.

3rd Annual Exotic Fruit Fly Symposium,Riverside, California, 14-16 September1998

This event is becoming a very importantmeeting as it brings together many peopleand organisations involved in area-widecontrol of fruit flies. Most of thepresentations during the symposium dealtwith aspects of medfly SIT to which theFAO/IAEA programme has madesignificant contributions and this wasrepeatedly recognised. The Symposiumcovered both field implementation of SIT,mainly in California, and reports of R andD projects which the CaliforniaDepartment of Food and Agriculture(CFDA) and the Citrus Research Board(CRB) are funding. Both organisations arecurrently funding several R and D projectswhich have direct relevance to the Insectand Pest Control sub-programme. TheCDFA have already funded a project at theUniversity of Hawaii which contains fundsearmarked for support of the R and Dprogramme at the FAO/IAEA Seibersdorflaboratories. The key points made duringthe symposium included:

Field Implementation• In California the medfly Preventative

Release Programme (PRP) is success-fully preventing the establishment ofnew medfly infestations.

• For new outbreaks outside the PRP areathe temperature sensitive lethal (tsl)genetic sexing strain (GSS) fromGuatemala is now being used.

• In Florida, there are currently fourinfestations in various stages oferadication with the tsl from Guatemalabeing used where possible.

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• The CDFA medfly rearing will beremodelled to mass rear the tsl.

• Considerable progress was demon-strated in the development of improvedfemale trapping systems for medfly.When used in combination with maleonly release these will greatly increasethe effectiveness of SIT. The key rolethat the CRP (D4.10.13 - see pages 13and 23) has played in this developmentwas repeatedly acknowledged.

• Molecular analysis continues to showthat California and Florida are subject tomedfly invasions from differentgeographical areas but it is currently notpossible to unequivocally determine theprecise geographical origin of a singletrapped medfly.

R and D• Genetic transformation of fruit flies has

now been accomplished in severallaboratories, including Seibersdorf,using different genetic vectors.

• Medfly has now been transformed witha gene expressing a green fluorescentprotein (GFP) which might be useful forthe identification of released flies.

• PCR primers have been designed whichcan differentiate male and femaleindividuals at any stage of development,including eggs.

• The role that symbiotic bacteria mightplay in nutrition and hence survival ofmass reared flies is being recognised.

The sterile insect technique for commercialcontrol of the onion fly

The Sterile Insect Technique has beenapplied commercially for the control of theonion fly, Delia antiqua, (Diptera:Anthomyiidae) in the Netherlands since1981. About 15% of the total Dutch onioncrop is treated representing about 2600hectares. Flies are mass reared on anartificial diet and a new strain is regularlycollected from the field. Continuousrearing can be carried out as the pupae canbe stored for up to one year at 3°C. The

ability to store pupae is extremelyimportant for the implementation of theprogramme.

Grower uptake of the programme hasbeen problematical due mainly to a lack ofconfidence in the technology but also tothe selfish behaviour of a minority ofgrowers. This means that a key conditionfor the optimal use of this technique, i.e. anarea-wide approach in which all growers ofa region participate has not been achievedand effective population suppression is notpossible.

Many growers who use chemicalcontrol for this pest view SIT as aconvenient insurance policy in the eventthat the fly develops resistance to theinsecticides. However, should resistancedevelop then only a strict and regionalmanagement of onion production couldprovide the right environment for theutilisation for this technology.

SIT for codling moth eradication in BritishColumbia, Canada

For the past 5 years orchardists andhomeowners in the Okanagan Valley ofBritish Columbia, Canada have joinedforces with the Okanagan-Kootenay SterileInsect Release (SIR) Program to do battlewith the codling moth (CM), Cydiapomonella, (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae).Eradication of the pest is being achievedthrough the release of sterile CMthroughout the area from mid-April to mid-September. In order to provide the neededoverflooding ratios, a mass-rearing facilityis being operated in Osoyoos, BC with acurrent production of 14.2 million sterilemoths per week.

Prior to the start of the Program, controlof this pest was based on 3-5 cover spraysof the organophosphate insecticideazinphosmethyl per season. By eradicatingCM the industry will decrease its relianceon these sprays, creating expandedopportunities for integrated management ofother orchard pests.

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The SIR Program became a reality in1992 following 20 years of research anddevelopment at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Centre inSummerland, BC. Area growers and all 3levels of government agreed to share theProgram’s costs. In 1997 the operatingbudget was $3.2 million CAD, withgrowers paying $80 per acre of apples andpears and homeowners $0.195 per $ 1,000of assessed land value.

Lack of a co-ordinated clean-up effortprior to the release of sterile CM in 1994resulted in excessive damage in the initialyear. These results began to change in1995, when growers were persuaded tocombine an aggressive spray program withthe release of the sterile moths to reducethe wild population to a manageable level.Since then, the resulting decline in the wildpopulation has been dramatic. The averagetrap catch has been reduced from 13.0moths/trap/week during peak first broodspring emergence and 3.0 moths/trap/weekduring peak second brood emergence in1995, to an average of 1.0 and <0.5CM/trap/week for first and second brood,respectively, in 1997. The majority ofgrowers sprayed only once for CM in 1997,91 % of the orchards had no CM injury atharvest, and it is likely that growers willnot have to spray for CM in Zone 1 in 1998and future years.

The treatment area has been dividedinto 3 zones - South, Central and NorthOkanagan - with approximately 8,250,6,250 and 3,500 acres of apples and pears,respectively. The schedule in each zoneinvolves 3 years of pre-release sanitation toreduce wild populations, followed by 3years of sterile moth releases to achieveeradication. Eradication in Zone 1 isanticipated by the end of 1999, Zone 2 bythe end of 2002 and the entire SIRtreatment area by 2005.

Use of Sterile Insect Technique inMediterranean Fruit Fly Eradication inFlorida

The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) isa quarantine pest for the USA and isestablished only in Hawaii. It has invadedFlorida, Texas and California several timesthis century and always been eradicated.

Increased tourist travel, changes indemographics with the concurrent desire toobtain familiar fruits, often medfly hosts,and increased trade in fruit and vegetablesall contribute to the increasing risk ofaccidental medfly infestation in Florida.

The Florida fruit and vegetable industrycannot live with the medfly because ofdirect losses caused by the pest, losses ofexport markets because the medfly is aquarantine pest and increased productioncosts resulting from insecticide treatmentsto produce quality fruit. Extensiveinsecticide treatments to control the pestwould result in major environmentalconcerns.

The medfly was detected in Florida in1997 following a 6 year period duringwhich it had not been detected. Aneradication campaign was immediatelyinitiated utilising eradication technologysimilar to the Federal and Statemanuals/protocols developed several yearsago. This includes delimitation of theinfestation by intensive trapping withTrimedlure baited traps, multiple aerialand/or ground bait sprays of malathiontreatments at about weekly intervals,stripping and destruction of host fruit toremove larval populations, soil treatmentsto kill immature medflies in the soil underhost trees, mass trapping to catch as manymales as possible to reduce the adultmedfly population and finally the releaseof sterile flies (if available) to eliminateany wild populations of flies that escapedthe insecticide treatments. Apparenteradication was achieved in 1997.However new infestations were detected in1998 which are believed to have resultedfrom failure to eradicate in 1997. A new

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campaign was initiated in 1998 utilisingmore SIT releases and renewed insecticidetreatments. Elimination of the 4infestations detected in 1998 seemsimminent (October 98). The program,based primarily on the SIT, must bevigorously continued for several months toensure eradication.

Since the programme becameoperational in 1997, the use of the SIT hasincreased gradually until it has become thepredominate eradication tool at the presenttime. This increased use is partly becauseof environmental concerns with wide usageof bait sprays and partially because ofincreased confidence in the SIT. Sterilemales of the temperature sensitive lethal(tsl) genetic sexing strain, shipped from theEl Pino facility in Guatemala, are beingused in conjunction with the medfly femaleattractant in SIT release areas.

Mediterranean Fruit Fly PreventativeRelease Program in Southern California

The Joint FAO/IAEA Division has beenan advisor to the Preventative ReleaseProgram (PRP) which is a majorcomponent of on-going efforts to keepMediterranean fruit fly (medfly) out ofCalifornia. This program uses continuousreleases of sterile flies to interfere withmedfly colonisation in 5,581 km2 ofcontiguous urban areas of Los Angeles,Orange, Riverside, and San BernardinoCounties. The program began in July 1996and will run for five years. The programcomponents are sterile fly release, trapping,larval survey, and fly identification.

Sterile medflies are supplied by medflyrearing facilities in Hawaii and Guatemala.The sterile fly release facility incubates andemerges 450 million sterile medfly pupaeper week and evenly disperses the sterileadult flies over the release area at a densityof not less than 49,000 sterile medflies perkm2, per week. Some 30 billion sterilemedflies have been released between July10, 1996, and May 31, 1998.

Two Jackson traps baited withTrimedlure and two McPhail traps baitedwith yeast are deployed per squarekilometre throughout the project area todetect the presence of wild medflies. Thesetraps are relocated to new host plants withfruit every six weeks. The traps areserviced weekly during the warmer monthsand every other week during the winter.

Larval survey involves a focused surveyof high risk areas, i.e., wholesale fruitmarkets, fruit importers, and exotic fruitmarkets. Host fruits are sampled, cut, andinspected for the presence of medflylarvae. Over 2,722 kilograms of fruit wereinspected and no medfly larvae were foundin this general survey

Fly identification determines the statusof the adult medflies (sterile or wild)trapped throughout the release area. Thesterile medflies are marked with afluorescent pink dye. Over 20 milliondyed sterile medflies were examined in1997.

Between 1986 and 1994, California wassubjected to over 60 discrete medflyintroduction events as indicated by thecapture of over 800 wild medflies duringthe same years. The Basinwide Programand its successor the PRP have reduced thecaptures of wild medflies to a singleinfestation discovered in the SIT area.Twenty-three flies were trapped in thissmall 1997 infestation. No flies weredetected in 1998 in the PRP area, whereasseveral outbreaks outside of the PRPconfirm the increasing rate of medflyintroductions from abroad. Viewed in thiscontext, it is believed that the currentrelease rate of 49,000 sterile medflies perkm2 is effective at reducing significantlythe rate at which medfly introductionsbecome established in California.

It is concluded that unlike the previousbait-spray eradication activities, the PRP iseffectively protecting California’s high riskarea for medfly introductions in anenvironmentally friendly way and at lessthan half the cost.

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Eradicating Bactrocera papayae fromnorthern QueenslandAn outbreak of the Asian Papaya fruit fly(PFF), B. papayae, was detected nearCairns, Australia, in October 1995. Inresponse to this incursion, the QueenslandDepartment of Primary Industriesestablished an eradication campaign, withsupport from the federal and other stategovernments. Road blocks were installedto prevent fruit movement and trappingwas intensified to determine the extent ofthe infestation. Ten days after the initialdetection, a pest quarantine area wasdeclared covering an area of 76,000 km2 innorthern Queensland. Eradication wasbased on male annihilation, supplementedby strategic foliage baiting.

From an initial catch of 0.8PFF/trap/week in October 1995, flynumbers declined to less than 0.001flies/week by June 1997 and none havebeen detected since then. All quarantinerestrictions were removed in August 1998.Successful eradication of B. papayae inthis campaign is attributed to acombination of area-wide coverage withblocks and foliage baiting.

Final results of the Co-ordinated ResearchProgramme “Development of FemaleMedfly Attractant Systems for Trappingand Sterility Assessment” (CRP D4.10.13)

The practical application of the SterileInsect Technique (SIT) is continuing toexpand at an increasing rate as thecontinuous use of insecticides becomesmore of a recognised environmentalproblem. To improve the efficacy of theSIT, reduce costs, and more effectivelyutilise sterile males, a female attractantsystem to trap females in the wildpopulation is required. The main objectiveof this Co-ordinated Research Programme(CRP) was to develop a female medflytargeted detection and trapping system thatwould result in simplified and moreaccurate methods for following theprogress of the SIT programmes.

It was envisioned that the developmentof a synthetic female food attractant byUSDA ARS and APHIS scientists could becombined with the male only sterile flyprogramme to reduce the number of malescaptured. The capture of females wouldenhance the programme since most of thefemales captured would be wild andremoval of them provides an indication ofthe programme’s success andsimultaneously reduces the femalepopulation.

The second objective of the CRP was todevelop a system to capture live femaleflies to access the sterility of a wild femalemedfly population. By knowing preciselythe extent of sterility induced the sterilemales can be more strategically utilised,increasing efficacy and reducingprogramme costs.

The participants consisted of researchteams from Argentina, Costa Rica, Greece,Guatemala, Honduras, Mauritius, Mexico,Portugal, South Africa, Turkey, UnitedKingdom and United States. The CRPbegan in January 1994 with the finalResearch Co-ordination meeting in Penangin May, 1998.

Initial experiments were conducted toevaluate the new female trapping systemsfor medflies. The combination of twofemale attractants (ammonium acetate andputrescine) was tested in different types oftraps and comparisons of female capturewith the new synthetic lures were madewith standard aqueous proteinaceous baits.The male specific parapheromoneTrimedlure (TML) was used to provideadditional information on populationdensities. In addition to several standardtraps provided by the Agency many of theresearch teams also tested the femaleattractant in traps designed by them orknown to be used in their country. Inaddition to obtaining comparisons ofmedflies captured, host availability andenvironmental conditions were alsorecorded. Preliminary success wasobtained in the capture of live wild females

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that was needed to develop systems forfemale sterility assessments. In 1996 itwas discovered that the addition of a thirdchemical (trimethylamine) was a potentialsynergist for the capture of femalemedflies. Based on the early success of theproject it was recommended by theparticipating scientists that the last part ofCRP should focus on comparisons of usingthe synthetic lures in traps that were dryversus those that contained water in roundbottom plastic McPhail type traps.Additional recommendations were made tobegin trapping in low density populations,continue to improve systems to capturewild female flies or collect eggs depositedwithin egging devices contained in thetraps and determine the potential for flysuppression by mass trapping of femaleflies. Based on the efforts prior to 1997 acohesive protocol was developed thatresulted in significant advances in femaletrapping systems for use in SITprogrammes. Some of the significantresults are as follows:

• The two component lure consisting ofammonium acetate and putrescine wasapproximately equal to protein baits forcapture of medflies.

• The addition of the trimethylamine lureto ammonium acetate and putrescinelures significantly improved trap captureof female medflies.

• The commercial formulation of thethree component lure has a field life of6 - 8 weeks compared to protein baitsthat should be replaced every week.

• Traps baited with the synthetic lurecapture few non target insects. Proteinbaits capture 4 to 50 times more nontarget insects, including beneficialinsects, then the synthetic lure.

• Traps baited with the three componentlure captures 5 - 40 times less sterilemale flies then TML baited traps.

• Traps baited with the synthetic lurecaptured approximately 75% femalemedflies. Protein baited traps captured

77% female medflies. TML captured <1% females.

• Based on results from all countries, theplastic McPhail type traps baited withsynthetic lures and insecticide captured2.2 times more medflies than proteinbaited plastic McPhail type traps, (N =60, equivalent to 7,280 trap days orapproximately 20 trap years).

• Based on results from countries havingvery low medfly populations, the plastictraps baited with synthetic threecomponent lure catch approximately 4times more medflies then protein baitedplastic traps.

• In low populations the female foodattractant synthetic lures detected thepresence of wild Mediterranean fruitflies before the TML baited traps.

The international network ofdistinguished research scientists co-ordinated by the FAO/IAEA ResearchContract Programme has resulted in amajor contribution to the male only SITprogram to suppress and eradicate medfly.The use of the three component syntheticfemale food attractant is now globallyaccepted for use in supporting programmeefforts. The results obtained are indicativeof the enthusiasm and dedication of thescientists that were involved in this highlysuccessful CRP. The research teams werelead by Enrique Vattuone, Argentina;Hernan Camacho, Costa Rica; Byron I.Katsoyannos, Greece; Felipe Jeronimo,Guatemala; Yoav Gazit, Israel; AbdeljelilBakri, Morocco, Aydin Zümreo�lu, Turkey;Pablo Montoya, Mexico; Pedro J. Ros,Spain; Robert R. Heath, U. S. A.; LuisVásquez, Honduras; Philip Howse, U. K.;Rui Pereira, Portugal; Swarnalata IndiraSeewooruthun, Mauritius; Brian Barnes,South Africa.

C. capitata Parasitoid Rearing Facility,Brazil.In Brazil, a pilot field test will take place tocontrol fruit flies using SIT and

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parasitoids. A small mass rearing pilotfacility is nearing completion and a medflygenetic sexing strain from Argentina willbe introduced. This sexing strain is basedon the slower development of femalelarvae which will be used to rearparasitoids with the male larvae beingallowed to complete their development forsterilisation and release. Dr. Julio Walderis in charge of the programme under theCRP on “A Molecular and GeneticApproach to Develop Sexing Strains forField Application in Fruit Fly SITProgrammes (D4.10.15)”

ANNOUNCEMENT3rd Symposium on Fruit Flies of EconomicImportance of the Western Hemisphere,July 1999.

After a successful meeting between fruitfly researchers and action programmepersonnel from the Americas (Viña del Mar,Chile, 1996), a follow up meeting isscheduled for Guatemala City during thefirst week of July 1999.

This meeting is a unique opportunity toexchange information with participantsfrom both research and action programmes,to observe the progress made in both arenasand to determine the needs for futureresearch to solve the action programmes’most pressing problems.

For the meeting, simultaneous translationwill be provided with the aim of increasingparticipation from both English and Spanishspeaking countries.

The first announcement of the meetinghas already been sent to those individualsincluded in the e-mail list of the previousmeeting. Individuals wishing to participatefor the first time and those whose e-mailaddress has changed, can requestinformation from Pedro Rendon [email protected].

ANNOUNCEMENTXIV th International Plant ProtectionCongress, Jerusalem, 25 - 30 July, 1999

The XIVth International PlantProtection Congress will be held inJerusalem, Israel, from 25 - 30 July 1999. The theme of the Congress is “PlantProtection Towards the Third Millennium -Where Chemistry Meets Ecology” tosymbolise the need to incorporate all aspectsand approaches to pest control includingbiotechnology and environmentallycompatible chemical and non-chemicalmethods, and will include nine mainsessions. During the first of these, “IPMTowards the 3rd Millennium - Progress inStrategies and Technology” there willbe a symposium on “The Sterile InsectTechnique, Past, Present and Future”. Details of this symposium can beobtained from the joint organisers,Jorge Hendrichs ([email protected]) orYoram Rössler ([email protected])

For information on the InternationalCongress visit their web site athttp://www.kenes.com/IPPC, or contact theSecretariat at P.O. Box 50006, Tel Aviv61500, Israel, Fax: +972 3 514 0077, e-mail: [email protected]

Jordanian - Israeli - Palestinian JointCommuniqué

Following the Co-ordination Meetingfor SIT projects in the Near East, held from 13-15 October 1998 at the IAEAheadquarters, Vienna, Austria, thedelegations from the Hashemite Kingdomof Jordan, the State of Israel and theTerritories Under the Jurisdiction of thePalestinian Authority signed a jointcommuniqué affirming their commoninterest in medfly control, and their mutualintent to co-operate to this end.

The communiqué listed the followingfields of co-operation, amongst other:• Control of medfly on an area-wide basis

integrating SIT and other appropriatetechnologies

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• Co-ordination of the planning andexecution of surveillance and controlactivities aimed at suppressing medflypopulations more effectively

• Open exchange of technical data andinformation in a timely mannerregarding the incidence and severity ofmedfly infestation

• Co-ordination of efforts to trainpersonnel on better approaches todetection and control of medfly

Gracian Mutika Joins StaffGracian joined the staff of the

Entomology unit in Seibersdorf in October1998. He graduated in Biological Sciencesfrom the University of Zimbabwe in 1990and gained his MSc in TropicalEntomology from the same university in1993. Since then he has worked as aresearch officer in the Tsetse andTrypanosomiasis Control Branch,Zimbabwe, on trap oriented behaviour oftsetse flies in the field and use of cattle aslive baits in tsetse control.

His assignment at Seibersdorf will covervarious aspects of the development of postproduction handling of sterile male tsetse(both pupae and adults), and themeasurement of behavioural parameters forquality control of released sterile flies.

J Wendell Snow joins Jamaica ScrewwormEradication field project.

Wendell has many years of experiencein Screwworm control and sterile insectprogrammes. He was instrumental ingetting the Jamaican New-worldScrewworm Eradication project(JAM/5/006) off the ground. He is nowcounterpart to the National ProjectDirector, Dr. George Grant, and is based inKingston.

The project is scheduled to last threeyears. Releases of about 15 million sterileflies per week from the Mexico-US facilityin Tuxla Gutierrez, Mexico, giving about1,200 sterile flies per square kilometre fortwo years will start in April 1999. The

sterile fly releases will be supported byprevention, control and quarantinemeasures. The total cost will be aboutUS$9 million, whilst losses to the livestockindustry are estimated at US$5.5 to 7.7million annually.

In the past Wendell has frequentlyworked with the section as a consultant onvarious projects.

The following is taken from the PressRelease issued in connection with theFAO/IAEA International Conference inPenang

FAO/IAEA International Conference on“Area-Wide Control of Insect Pests,Integrating the Sterile Insect Techniqueand Related Nuclear and OtherTechniques”, 28 May - 2 June 1998,Penang, Malaysia

Recent advances and the potential forapplying innovative and moreenvironmentally-friendly methods tomanage key insect pests were the focus ofthe International Conference, organised bythe Joint FAO/IAEA Division, in co-operation with the University SainsMalaysia, in Penang, Malaysia. TheConference brought together 280 experts,including some of the world’s best andmost knowledgeable pest control scientists,animal and plant protection specialists, andrepresentatives of regulatory authoritiesand the private sector from over 70countries and six internationalorganisations.

Major progress was reported in thedevelopment of the Sterile InsectTechnique (SIT) and its successful largescale application in eliminating insect pestssuch as the fruit fly in parts of LatinAmerica, Japan, USA and Australia, thescrewworm from North and CentralAmerica and parts of North Africa andmost recently the tsetse fly from UngujaIsland, Zanzibar, Tanzania. The Agency’sLaboratory in Seibersdorf, Austria, hasplayed a leading role in developing SIT.

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The conference also agreed that an area-wide approach to pest control, in which theentire population of a pest in an area orregion is managed in a co-ordinated way,often across political boundaries, isconsiderably more effective andeconomical than uncoordinated field-by-field, or orchard-by-orchard controlmeasures now practised by a majority ofgrowers who rely on pesticide applications.The area-wide concept of pest control alsocontributes to alleviating environmentalconcerns and is central to the effectiveapplication of SIT.

A group of participants from 16 Africancountries concluded that Africa can only befreed of the tsetse fly by an area-wideapproach integrating SIT with otherenvironment-friendly methods, and in aconcerted effort with long-term politicalcommitments of the countries concerned.Tsetse flies are responsible forunproductive agricultural systems inalmost 11 million km2 of sub-SaharanAfrica. New advances in mass-rearingtsetse flies achieved at the Agency’sSeibersdorf Laboratory have reduced costsof fly production to a tenth, making thelarge scale use of SIT on mainland Africa arealistic prospect. These newmethodologies will be applied in a largeeradication campaign to free the SouthernRift Valley in Ethiopia of tsetse.

Fruit flies are among the economicallymost harmful insects, severely hinderingworld trade in agricultural products. TheMediterranean fruit fly (medfly), forexample, attacks over 250 species of fruitand vegetables in many parts of the world.So great is the potential damage that manycountries impose strict trade barriers andprohibit import of fresh, potentiallyinfested produce from endemic countries.However, research & development in SITtechnologies for area-wide medfly controland eradication is among the mostadvanced in insect pest management.IAEA and FAO have supported successfulSIT projects in Argentina, Chile, Costa

Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru andPortugal.

Moths are also among major pestsdamaging food and fibre crops, forests andstored products throughout the world.Several species have developed resistanceto even high doses of insecticides. SITprograms that have successfully overcomepesticide-related problems, have beenoperated to control the cotton pinkbollworm in California and, most recently,the codling moth of apples in BritishColumbia, Canada.

The Conference also addressed newdevelopments in biotechnology, geneticsand molecular biology related to insectpests.

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Newly Revised Manual on International Standards for ProductQuality Control of Sterile Fruit Flies for SIT Programmes

During a meeting convened by the JointFAO/IAEA Division in 1997 in co-ordination with experts from theUSDA/APHIS, international consensuswas reached among 19 consultants andnational experts from 12 countriesrepresenting 13 fruit fly mass-rearingfacilities on the objectives, procedures, andinterpretations of each quality control test.

The manual entitled “Product QualityControl, Irradiation and ShippingProcedures For Mass-Reared TephritidFruit Flies For Sterile Insect ReleasePrograms” is now available upon requestfrom the Insect & Pest Control Section.Managers of SIT programs need to beconcerned with ensuring that, once in thefield, sterile insects can competeeffectively with wild insects and matesuccessfully. This is especially critical forinsects that have a complex mating system

like tephritid fruit flies. Effective methodsfor monitoring and providing feedback onthe quality and competitiveness of sterilefruit flies are critical to the success of SITprograms.

New Manual to Replace Older One

The newly revised and updated manualwill provide end-users of sterile fruit fliesthat are used in pest control projects &programs with routine, periodic andancillary tests for assessing their overallquality and competitiveness. This manualis designed to replace an earlier QCmanual published by the Animal & PlantHealth Inspection Service (APHIS) of theUnited States Department of Agriculture(USDA) in 1986 for assessing productquality of only medflies that are used inSIT release programmes.

Changes Made to Improve QCAssessment

A major impetus for revision of thismanual was to reach internationalconsensus on and include required tests ofmating competitiveness and compatibilityso that tests of these crucial behaviouralcomponents are not neglected. In addition,tests have been added to provide betterinformation on survival and dispersal ofsterile flies in the field. Specifications andmethods have been expanded to includegenetic sexing strains of C. capitata andadditional species, including Anastrephaand Bactrocera. In some cases, standardvalues have not been cited for speciesknown to be in mass production. In theseinstances, readers are encouraged to submitdata for inclusion in future revisions of themanual.

Rationale for Updating PreviousManual

Previous manuals were intended toprovide standardised procedures for routine

QC

PRODUCT QUALITYCONTROL, IRRADIATION ANDSHIPPING PROCEDURES FORMASS-REARED TEPHRITIDFRUIT FLIES FOR STERILE

INSECT RELEASEPROGRAMS

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checks of the product of the rearingprocess. The tests that they outlined were,accordingly, designed to assess emergence,flight ability, mating propensity andindices of the basic viability of the mass-reared flies. In particular, the tests werenot intended to address matingcompetitiveness and compatibility or post-mating factors, although the authors notedthe need to run regular tests in those areas.

In the years that followed, results of thetests became equated with overall flyquality and competitiveness, at least forMediterranean fruit fly SIT programs in theUnited States. Recent research suggeststhat lapses in mating compatibility are alikely cause of poor performance by sterilemales in the field and, when severe, canresult in the failure of SIT programs.

The most important part of the QCprogram is to assure that the mass rearedsterile males interact successfully with thewild females of the target population. Toassure that the sterile males arecompetitive and compatible with the wildfemales, field evaluations must beconducted routinely. These tests shouldinclude, if possible, wild flies collectedfrom the area where releases are to occuror conducted in the location which is alikely source of introductions. Becausethis activity is critical to program success,sufficient funding and other resourcesmust be allotted for this purpose. The full-time staff dedicated to conducting fieldevaluations should include personneltrained in behavioral and ecologicalaspects of fruit fly biology.

Future Plans to Update This Manual

In response to the recommendationmade by the experts in 1997, updates tothis manual are anticipated asimprovements are made. In this regard aCooperative Research Project sponsored bythe Joint FAO/IAEA Division of NuclearTechniques in Food and Agriculture willbegin in 1999 and continue through 2003

to standardize and improve quality control(QC) tests, data management andinformation exchange on a global level.

This manual and future revisions willsoon become available through the JointFAO/IAEA Division Home Page on theInternet at the following URL: http://www.iaea.or.at/ programmes/ rifa. Planshave been made in the coming year todistribute the manual on CD-ROM. At thistime, no cost information is available.

For further information and copies ofthe manual on paper or CD-ROM, pleasecontact Patrick Gomes, Insect & PestControl Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Divisionat [email protected].

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I. PUBLICATIONS (1997-98)

Special Items

The South American Fruit Fly Anastrephafraterculus (Wied.); Advances inartificial rearing, taxonomic status andbiological studies. IAEA TECDOC-,206pp (in press)

Franz, G., Willhoeft, U., Kerremans, Ph.,Hendrichs, J., Rendon, P. Developmentand application of genetic sexingsystems for the Mediterranean fruit flybased on a temperature sensitive lethalmutation. In: Evaluation of geneticallyaltered medflies for use in sterile insecttechnique programmes (Ed: IAEA)Proceedings of the final Research Co-ordination Meeting, Clearwater, Florida,11-13 June, 1994, IAEA, p85-95.(1997)

Genetic engineering technology for theimprovement of the sterile insecttechnique 78pp. (IAEA TECDOC-993)(1997)

Control of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly inthe Near East Region Using the SterileInsect Technique. 76pp. (STI/PUB/1020) (1997)

Publications in Scientific Journals andConference Proceedings (1997-98)

Bakri, A., Hadis, H, Epsky, N. D., Heath,R. R., Hendrichs, J. Female Ceratitiscapitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) capturein a dry trap baited with a food-basedsynthetic attractant in an argan forest inMorocco. Part I: Low population fieldtest. Can. Entomol. 130 (1998) in press

Cáceres, C., Fisher, K., Rendon, P. Massrearing of the medfly temperaturesensitive lethal genetic sexing strain. In:Area-Wide Management of Fruit Fliesand Other Major Insect Pests (in press)

Cayol J.P., Changes in behaviour andsome life traits of tephritid speciescaused by mass rearing. In: M. Aluja &A. Norrbom (Eds.). Fruit Flies(Tephritidae): Phylogeny and evolutionof behavior. CRC Press. (in press)

Cayol J.P., World-wide sexualcompatibility in medfly and itsimplications for SIT. In Area-WideManagement of Fruit Flies and OtherMajor Insect Pests. (in press)

Cayol J.P., J. Vilardi, E. Rial and M. T.Vera, New indices and method tomeasure the sexual compatibility andmating performance of medfly (Diptera:Tephritidae) laboratory reared strainsunder field cage conditions. J. Econ.Entomol. (1999) (in press)

Cayol J.P. & Zarai M. Field releases oftwo genetic sexing strains of theMediterranean fruit fly in two isolatedoases of Tozeur Governorate, Tunisia. J.Appl. Entomol. (in press)

Epsky, N. D., Hendrichs, J. , Katsoyannos,B. I., Vásquez, L. A., Ros, J. P.,Zümereo�lu, A, Pereira, R., Bakri, A.,Heath, R. R. Field evaluation offemale-targeted trapping systems forCeratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae)J. Econ. Entomol. (1998) in press

Fisher, K. Genetic sexing strains ofMediterranean fruit fly (Diptera:Tephritidae): Optimizing hightemperature treatment of mass-rearedtemperature-sensitive lethal strains. J.Econ. Entomol. 91 (in press).

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Fisher, K., Cáceres, C. A filter rearingsystem for mass reared medfly. In:Area-Wide Management of Fruit Fliesand Other Major Insect Pests (in press)

Franz, G., Fisher, K. Modifications of thegenetic sexing strains based on theexperience gained in the mass rearing ofsuch strains. In: Area-WideManagement of Fruit Flies and OtherMajor Insect Pests (in press)

Gomes, P. J., Ravins, E., Bahdousheh, M. Area-wide control of medfly in thelower Jordan rift valley. In: Area-WideManagement of Fruit Flies and OtherMajor Insect Pests (in press)

Grant, G. H., Snow, J. W., Vargas, M. Ascrewworm eradication programme forJamaica and other Caribbean nations.In: Area-Wide Management of FruitFlies and Other Major Insect Pests (inpress)

Heath, R. R., Epsky, N. D., Hendrichs, J.,Bakri, A., Barnes, B., Camacho, H.,Jeronimo, F., Katsoyannos, B. I.,Montoya, P., Pereira, R., Ros, J. P.,Rössler, Y, Seewooruthun, S. I.,Vásquez, L. A., Vattuone, E. M.,Zümereo�lu A. Evaluation of femaleMediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitiscapitata) synthetic attractant system fortrapping and sterility assessment inthirteen countries. In: Area-WideManagement of Fruit Flies and OtherMajor Insect Pests (in press)

Kabayo, J. P., Feldmann, H. U. Potentialfor area-wide control or eradication oftsetse in Africa. In: Area-WideManagement of Fruit Flies and OtherMajor Insect Pests (in press)

Katsoyannos, B. I., Papadopoulos, N. T.,Hendrichs, J., Wornoayporn, V.Comparative response to citrus foliageand citrus fruit odour by wild and mass-reared sterile Mediterranean fruit flymales of a genetic sexing strain J. Appl.Entomol. (1998) in press.

Katsoyannos, B. I., Papadopoulos, N. T.,Kouloussis, N. A., Heath, R.,Hendrichs, J. A method of assessing thefertility of wild Ceratitis capitata(Diptera: Tephritidae) females for use inSterile Insect Technique programmes. J.Econ Entomol. (1998) in press

Mebrate, A., Feldmann U. Integrating theSterile Insect Technique to eradicate tsetse from the southern rift valley ofEthiopia. In: Area-Wide Management ofFruit Flies and Other Major Insect Pests(in press)

Msangi, A. M., Saleh, K. M., Kiwia, N.,Mussa, W. A., Mramba, F., Juma, K.G., Dyck, V. A., Vreysen, M. J. B.,Parker, A. G., Feldmann, H. U., Zhu, Z-R., Pan, H. Success in Zanzibar:Eradication of tsetse. In: Area-WideManagement of Fruit Flies and OtherMajor Insect Pests (in press).

Opiyo, E., Luger, D., Kubelka, H.,Robinson, A. S. New systems for thelarge scale production of male tsetseflies. In: Area-Wide Management ofFruit Flies and Other Major Insect Pests(in press)

Yuval, B., Hendrichs, J. Behavior of fliesin the genus Ceratitis. In: M. Aluja &A. Norrbom (Eds.) Fruit Flies(Tephritidae): Phylogeny and Evolutionof Behavior. CRC Press (in press)

Bailey, S. Tsetse fly eliminated onZanzibar. Nucl. News, p56-61 (January1998)

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Hendrichs, M. A., Hendrichs, J Perfumedto be killed: Interception ofMediterranean Fruit Fly (Diptera:Tephritidae) sexual signalling bypredatory foraging wasps(Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Ann.Entomol. Soc. Am. 91(1998): 228-234.

Willhoeft, U., Mueller-Navia, J., Franz, G.,Analysis of the medfly sexchromosomes by microdissected DNAprobes, Genome 41(1998):74-78

Cayol J.P., Buyckx E.J., Loussaief F.,Zaraï M., Boukhari M. & Arfaoui T. Control of Mediterranean fruit fly withVienna 43/44 tsl sterile males only inTunisian oases. In: Proc. IOBC/WPRSInt. Open Meet. - Working group “Fruitflies of economic importance”, Lisbon,Portugal, 22-24 Sept. 1997.IOBC/WPRS Bull., 20(8) (1997): 219-232.

Dyck, V.A., Juma, K.G., Msangi, A.R.,Saleh, K.M., Kiwia, N., Vreysen,M.J.B., Parker, A. G., Hendrichs, J.,Feldmann, U. Eradication of the tsetsefly Glossina austeni by the Sterile InsectTechnique (SIT) in Zanzibar - couldSouth Africa be next? In: Insects inAfrican Economy and Environment.(Proceedings of the Joint Congress ofthe Entomological Society of SouthernAfrica (11th congress) and the AfricanAssociation of Insect Scientists (12thcongress)) Robertson, H. G. (Ed.)Entomological Society of SouthernAfrica, Pretoria, South Africa (1997)(abstract)

Gomes, P Can Area-Wide Control of theMediterranean Fruit Fly Using SterileInsects Lead to Establishing Pest FreeAreas in the Near East? Arab J. PlantProt. 15(2) (1997) 134-139.

Fisher, K. Irradiation effects in air and innitrogen on Mediterranean Fruit Fly(Diptera: Tephritidae) pupae in WesternAustralia. J. Econ. Entomol. 90 (1997):1609-1614.

Gooding, R. H., Feldmann, U., Robinson,A. S. Care and maintenance of tsetsecolonies. In: The molecular biology ofinsect disease vectors: a methodsmanual. Ed Crampton, J. M., Beard, C.B., Louis, C. London, UK, Chapman &Hall Ltd. (1997)

Mansour, M., Franz, G. Gamma radiationas a quarantine treatment for the medfly,Ceratitis capitata (Wied) (Diptera:Tephritidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 89(1997): 1175-1180

Robinson, A.S. The potential role of theInternational Atomic Energy Agency inthe development of a sterile insectprogramme for mosquitoes. In: 2ndGlobal Meet on Parasitic Diseases,Hyderabad (1997), (abstract).

Willhoeft, U., Fluorescence in situhybridization of ribosomal DNA tomitotic chromosomes of tsetse flies(Diptera: Glossinidae: Glossina),Chromosome Res. 5 (1997):262-267.

Insect and Pest Control SectionJoint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

International Atomic Energy AgencyWagramer Strasse 5, P. O. Box 100

A-1400 Vienna, Austria

Printed by the IAEA in AustriaDecember 1998

98-04885

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