Suppression of Populations of Tobacco Budworms Caged with Sterile Females123

Developing a Sterile Insect Release Program forCactoblastis cactorum(Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae): Effective Overflooding Ratios and Release-Recapture Field Studies

“…However, experimental evidence strongly suggests that sterile females are beneÞcial in SIT programs against pestiferous Lepidoptera. Field cage experiments conducted by Husseiny and Madsen (1964) on navel orange worm (Amyelois transitiella; Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), by Guerra et al (1974) on tobacco budworm [Heliothis virescens (F.) Lepidoptera:Noctuidae], and by Van Steenwyk et al (1979) on pink bollworm have shown that sterile females have a signiÞcant (and in some cases the only) positive contribution in population suppression in all of these species. Furthermore, season-long Þeld releases of males alone, females alone, and mixed genders of codling moths conducted by White et al (1976) in apple orchards resulted in population suppression Þgures of 88.5, 89.7% and 91.5%, respectively, suggesting that sterile females play an important role in the mating dynamics of a wild population under SIT.…”

Improvement of the sterile insect technique for codling moth Cydia pomonella (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera Tortricidae) to facilitate expansion of field application

“…2005), and some experimental results even suggest that release of sterile female moths may be beneficial in SIT programmes against pestiferous Lepidoptera (Bloem and Carpenter 2001). Field cage experiments on navel orange worm Amyelois transitella (Walker) (Husseiny and Madsen 1964), tobacco budworm Heliothis virescens (F.) (Guerra et al. 1974), pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella (Van Steenwyk et al.…”

“…However, in the absence of genetic sexing strains, lepidopteran SIT programmes have relied upon mixed gender releases , and some experimental results even suggest that release of sterile female moths may be beneficial in SIT programmes against pestiferous Lepidoptera (Bloem and Carpenter 2001). Field cage experiments on navel orange worm Amyelois transitella (Walker) (Husseiny and Madsen 1964), tobacco budworm Heliothis virescens (F.) (Guerra et al 1974), pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella (Van Steenwyk et al 1979) and the cactus moth C. cactorum (Hight et al 2005) have shown that sterile females can make a significant positive contribution in suppressing the wild population. Also, season-long field releases of males only, females only, and mixed genders of codling moths (White et al 1976) in un-replicated apple orchard blocks of ca.…”