New rearing system may aid sterile insect technique against mosquitoes

The requirement for efficient mosquito mass-rearing technology has been one of the major obstacles preventing the large scale application of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) against mosquitoes.

However, according to a new article in the next issue of the Journal of Medical Entomology, scientists at the Untited Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have developed a larval rearing unit based on the use of a stainless steel rack that is expected to be able to successfully rear 140,000–175,000 adult mosquitoes per rack.

In “A New Larval Tray and Rack System for Improved Mosquito Mass Rearing” the authors report that the new mechanized rearing unit is simple to handle, maintains minimal water temperature variation and negligible water evaporation, and allows normal larval development. The mosquito mass-rearing tray was designed to provide a large surface area of shallow water that would closely mimic natural breeding sites, and the trays stack into a dedicated rack structure which fill and drain easily. Furthermore, the low amount of labor required to operate the system also reduces costs.

“Our larval rearing unit could enhance any mosquito control strategy in which large-scale releases of mosquitoes are needed to suppress or replace natural populations,” said lead author Fabrizio Balestrino.

The Journal of Medical Entomology (http://entsoc.org/Pubs/Periodicals/JME) is published by the Entomological Society of America (http://www.entsoc.org), the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. Founded in 1889, ESA today has more than 6,000 members affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government.

CONTACTS:

Fabrizio Balestrino
fbalestrino@iaea.org
Phone (in Austria): (43) 1 2600 28407
Jeremie Gilles
J.Gilles@iaea.org
Phone (in Austria): (43) 1 2600 28407
Mark Benedict
mqbenedict@yahoo.com

Media Contact

Fabrizio Balestrino EurekAlert!

More Information:

http://www.iaea.org

All latest news from the category: Agricultural and Forestry Science

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

Evolution of the most powerful ocean current on Earth

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current plays an important part in global overturning circulation, the exchange of heat and CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and the stability of Antarctica’s ice sheets….

Memory Self-Test via Smartphone

… Can Identify Early Signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Dedicated memory tests on smartphones enable the detection of “mild cognitive impairment”, a condition that may indicate Alzheimer’s disease, with high accuracy….

The Sound of the Perfect Coating

Fraunhofer IWS Transfers Laser-based Sound Analysis of Surfaces into Industrial Practice with “LAwave”. Sound waves can reveal surface properties. Parameters such as surface or coating quality of components can be…

Partners & Sponsors