Annual report 1998

In two key areas, genetic sexing in the medfly, Ceratitis capitata, and mass rearing of the tsetse, Glossina pallidipes, 1998 has been a year of consolidation. For medfly, programme managers now view the use of genetic sexing strains - (GSS) as an integral part of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) for control and/or eradication of this pest. Since its introduction only 4 years ago, this technology is having an increasing impact on the implementation of medfly SIT. For tsetse, a rearing system has been designed and tested which will form the basic rearing module for the mass rearing facility to be built in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The system is cheap, easy to maintain and can be locally constructed. The facility in Addis Ababa will produce sterile G. pallidipes males for the SIT component of a large tsetse eradication programme in the Southern Rift valley. The Unit will continue to play a unique role in the further development of these technology transfer programmes. The Unit continues to maintain many strains of tsetse and medfly which are used to supply numerous institutions and individuals with biological material for research work. In addition, medfly GSS are provided to operational SIT programmes as required. This support provided to Member States, especially in the area of tsetse research, appears to be of increasing importance as the number of requests rise each year. All of this material is provided free of charge