Contribution in an anthology

Appeared in: Insect Biotechnology

Editor list: Vilcinskas, A

Publication year: 2011

Pages: 169-194

ISBN: 978-90-481-9640-1

eISBN: 978-90-481-9641-8

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9641-8_9

Title of series: Biologically-inspired systems

Number in series: 2

Abstract: 

The establishment of broadly applicable insect transgenesis systems will enable the analyses of gene function in diverse insect species. This will greatly increase our understanding of diverse aspects of biology so far not functionally addressable. Moreover, insect transgenesis will provide novel strategies for insect pest management and the means to impair transmission of pathogens by human disease vectors. Especially the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) might be improved by the use of transgenic approaches. The SIT represents an effective and ecologically safe method for area-wide pest control that reduces the pest population by mass release of sterilized organisms, leading to infertile matings and in consequence to a decline of the pest population. Although the SIT is already successfully applied for some species, each of its steps – mass-rearing, sex-separation for male-only releases, sterilization, and marking for monitoring – can be improved biotechnologically to optimize the efficiency and to reduce the costs of ongoing programs or to transfer this effective technique to a wider range of species. However, this powerful transgenic technology must be applied with great care to avoid harm to our environment.

Harvard Citation style: Schetelig, M. and Wimmer, E. (2011) Insect Transgenesis and the Sterile Insect Technique, in Vilcinskas, A. (ed.) Insect Biotechnology. Dordrecht: Springer, pp. 169-194. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9641-8_9

APA Citation style: Schetelig, M., & Wimmer, E. (2011). Insect Transgenesis and the Sterile Insect Technique. In Vilcinskas, A. (Ed.), Insect Biotechnology (pp. 169-194). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9641-8_9