Systems to advance and enhance exotic pest control: A case study of a global partnership in developing monitoring systems for use in SIT management of the Mediterranean fruit fly

Full text: incidence of introduction of exotic insect pests into pest-free areas of the world, threatening crop and ornamental plant production. The threat of invasion is very pronounced in areas of the world that receive plant and produce shipments from countries with established populations. There are a number of pests identified from these areas that pose a serious threat to global agriculture. This threat is exacerbated by the loss of methyl bromide and other strategies used as quarantine treatments. The continuous threat of exotic pest introduction has mandated that scientists and regulatory agencies initiate proactive efforts to understand the biology and to develop management strategies that will mitigate the threat of exotic insect pest introduction. A critical component is development of detection systems that will provide an early warning of pest presence in pathways vulnerable to pest invasion. This presentation will appraise critically the decade of efforts to develop and implement female-biased trapping system(s) for the Mediterranean fruit fly that is critical to the success of SIT programmes used to control this insect. A historical review of basic and applied research, and implementation of new technologies will be presented, together with a review of the successful partnership at local, national and global levels. The advancement and subsequent enhancement of research related to development and use of female-targeted Mediterranean fruit fly systems in SIT under the stewardship of FAO/IAEA will be presented. (author)