Prospects of Sterile Insect Techniques for fruit fly control in Indonesia
Murni Indarwatmi(a*), Indah Arastuti Nasution(a), Sulaeha Sulaeha(b)

a) National Atomic Energy Agency (BATAN), Jakarta, Indonesia
b) Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Hasanudin, Makassar, Indonesia

Abstract

The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is a method of pest control using area-wide inundative releases of sterile insects to reduce reproduction in a field population of the same species. This technique has been successfully applied to control fruit flies, moths, and mosquitoes. The National Nuclear Energy Agency of Indonesia in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency is developing TSM for B. dorsalis and B. carambolae fruit flies. Both of B. dorsalis and B. carambolae are the main fruit fly pests in Indonesia and are quarantine pests for Indonesian fruits to be exported. The working principle of SIT is that field insects are rear in the laboratory, insect irradiated to make them sterile, sterile insects are released into the field to mate with wild insects. The results of the mating of sterile insects with wild insects did not produce offspring so that the field population decreased. The application of SIT in Indonesia is still in the field trial stage. The prospect of applying this technique is very good because this technique has the advantages of being effective in reducing pest populations, species specific so it is safe for non-target insects, environmentally friendly because it reduces the use of insecticides, its compatible with other techniques in integrated area wide control, and increases fruit export opportunities. The future challenge is together with farmers, fruit exporters and the Directorate of Plant Protection of Horticulture, the Ministry of Agriculture implements TSM in a wide area integrated pest control management to reduce yield losses and increase Indonesian fruit exports.

Keywords: fruit export commodities, polyphagous, quarantine pest, Bactrocera dorsalis, Bactrocera carambolae

Topic: Emerging Technologies in Agricultural Production Systems