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Gender-bending sterile male drones deployed to fight Queensland fruit fly Gender-bending sterile male drones deployed to fight Queensland fruit fly
(2 days later)
Drones, maggot factories and gender-bending sterile males are all part of the arsenal CSIRO scientists are hoping to employ in the fight against the Queensland fruit fly.Drones, maggot factories and gender-bending sterile males are all part of the arsenal CSIRO scientists are hoping to employ in the fight against the Queensland fruit fly.
For decades farmers protected their crops against the insect scourge using pesticides such as dimethoate and fenthion, both of which were recently banned by Australian authorities, concerned that young children in particular were being exposed to chemical residue.For decades farmers protected their crops against the insect scourge using pesticides such as dimethoate and fenthion, both of which were recently banned by Australian authorities, concerned that young children in particular were being exposed to chemical residue.
Instead, to protect Australia’s $7bn fruit and vegetable industry, the government is turning to CSIRO scientists such as Paulo de Souza. He’s the lead researcher on a project that aims to eradicate fruit flies by diluting the insect’s mating pool with swarms of sterile males. Instead, to protect Australia’s $7bn fruit and vegetable industry, the government is turning to CSIRO scientists such as Paul de Barro.
The idea itself isn’t new, de Souza says. “The way we do it now, is that basically you expose the insects to something like X-rays, which damage the chromosomes, so that only male fruit flies are produced. You then expose the males to X-rays again, to sterilise them.” He’s the lead researcher on a project that aims to eradicate fruit flies by diluting the insect’s mating pool with swarms of sterile males.
The idea itself isn’t new, De Barro says. “The way we do it now, is that basically you expose the insects to something like X-rays, which damage the chromosomes, so that only male fruit flies are produced. You then expose the males to X-rays again, to sterilise them.”
The males are then released to reproduce with unassuming female fruit flies, who mate just once in their nine-day lifespan.The males are then released to reproduce with unassuming female fruit flies, who mate just once in their nine-day lifespan.
But the female fruit flies are wily, and have high standards. “They notice that the males are a bit unwell,” de Souza said. Unsurprisingly, the sterile flies are often spurned, in favour of their more potent pals. But the female fruit flies are wily, and have high standards. “They notice that the males are a bit unwell,” De Barro said. Unsurprisingly, the sterile flies are often spurned, in favour of their more potent pals.
To get around this problem scientists exploit what they call the “overflooding ratio”, releasing enough sterile males into a population to overcome, by sheer weight of numbers, the females’ tendency towards untampered males.To get around this problem scientists exploit what they call the “overflooding ratio”, releasing enough sterile males into a population to overcome, by sheer weight of numbers, the females’ tendency towards untampered males.
De Souza and his team hope to improve on this technique. De Barro and his team hope to improve on this technique.
“We want to achieve the same outcome with fewer flies, and without the use of X-rays,” he said.“We want to achieve the same outcome with fewer flies, and without the use of X-rays,” he said.
CSIRO scientists have developed a way to interfere with the fruit fly’s ribonucleic acid (RNA) to give the insects a sex change, turning healthy females into impotent males. The South Australian government is considering building a factory dedicated to pumping out this new breed of non-breeders.CSIRO scientists have developed a way to interfere with the fruit fly’s ribonucleic acid (RNA) to give the insects a sex change, turning healthy females into impotent males. The South Australian government is considering building a factory dedicated to pumping out this new breed of non-breeders.
De Souza says his 10-year plan for tackling fruit flies is within reach. A network of smart traps will be laid in fruit-growing areas, which radio back to what he calls “fruit-fly central control” when they capture an offending fly. De Barro says his 10-year plan for tackling fruit flies is within reach. A network of smart traps will be laid in fruit-growing areas, which radio back to what he calls “fruit-fly central control” when they capture an offending fly.
By the time the five-year study ends, researchers will know exactly how many sterile flies to release into an infected area, and for how long.By the time the five-year study ends, researchers will know exactly how many sterile flies to release into an infected area, and for how long.
“The call will go to the fruit-fly factory, and then you load up these flies into a drone, which then flies into the area and strategically releases the fruit flies.”“The call will go to the fruit-fly factory, and then you load up these flies into a drone, which then flies into the area and strategically releases the fruit flies.”
The scheme has the potential to save farmers millions of dollars by increasing yields that would otherwise be damaged by the pest, and by allowing more agricultural areas to be declared fruit fly-free, giving Australian produce access to new markets.The scheme has the potential to save farmers millions of dollars by increasing yields that would otherwise be damaged by the pest, and by allowing more agricultural areas to be declared fruit fly-free, giving Australian produce access to new markets.
The project is jointly funded by the federal government and industry.The project is jointly funded by the federal government and industry.