Editing Sterile insect technique (section)

{{short description|Method of biological control for insect populations}}
[[File:Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel, 1858).jpg|thumb|The [[screw-worm fly]] was the first [[Pest (organism)|pest]] successfully eliminated from an area through the sterile insect technique, by the use of an integrated area-wide approach.]]

The '''sterile insect technique''' ('''SIT''')<ref>{{cite book|last=|first=|url=https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003035572|title=Sterile Insect Technique: Principles and Practice in Area-Wide Integrated Pest Management|publisher=CRC Press|year=2021|isbn=9781003035572|editor1-last=Dyck|editor1-first=V.A.|edition=2nd|location=Boca Raton, FL|pages=|doi=10.1201/9781003035572|hdl=10044/1/86496|s2cid=265757752|editor2-last=Hendrichs|editor2-first=J.|editor3-last=Robinson|editor3-first=A.S.}}</ref><ref>Vreysen, M. J. B., Robinson, A. S., and Hendrichs, J. (2007). "Area-wide Control of Insect Pests, From Research to Field Implementation." pp. 789 Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands</ref> is a method of [[biological pest control|biological insect control]], whereby overwhelming numbers of [[infertility|sterile]] [[insect]]s are released into the wild. The released insects are preferably [[male]], as this is more [[cost-effective]] and the [[female]]s may in some situations cause damage by laying eggs in the crop, or, in the case of [[mosquito]]es, taking blood from humans. The sterile males compete with fertile males to mate with the females. Females that mate with a sterile male produce no offspring, thus reducing the next generation's [[population]]. Sterile insects are not self-replicating and, therefore, cannot become established in the environment. Repeated release of sterile males over low population densities can further reduce and in cases of isolation eliminate pest populations, although cost-effective control with dense target populations is subjected to population suppression prior to the release of the sterile males.

The technique has successfully been used to eradicate the [[screw-worm fly]] (''[[Cochliomyia hominivorax]]'') from North and Central America. Many successes have been achieved for control of [[Tephritidae|fruit fly]] pests, most particularly the [[Mediterranean fruit fly]] (''[[Ceratitis capitata]]'') and the [[Mexican fruit fly]] (''[[Anastrepha ludens]]''). Active research is being conducted to determine this technique's effectiveness in combatting the [[Bactrocera tryoni|Queensland fruit fly (''Bactrocera tryoni'')]].

Sterilization is induced through the effects of [[X-ray|x-ray photon]] [[irradiation]] on the reproductive cells of the insects. SIT does not involve the release of insects modified through transgenic (genetic engineering) processes.<ref name=DAndrea>{{in lang|fr}} Luigi D'Andrea, "Des insectes transgéniques contre la dengue. Sous quel contrôle et avec quels dangers ?", ''Stop OGM infos'', no. 52, 2013.</ref> Moreover, SIT does not introduce non-native species into an ecosystem.