10th IOBC-WPRS Working Group Meeting on Modern Biotechnology in Integrated Plant Production

What if the future of agriculture isn’t built around fighting pests harder — but smarter? From sterile insects and RNA-based pest control to advanced surveillance systems and new breeding technologies, a new generation of tools is reshaping how we think about sustainable agriculture. This November, researchers, practitioners, policymakers and industry representatives will come together in Crete to discuss exactly that.

New Research Hub Strengthens Sterile Insect Technique Science

The inauguration of the Liebig Centre for Agroecology and Climate Impact Research at Justus Liebig University Giessen marks a major step forward for Sterile Insect Technique research. In partnership with the IAEA and FAO/IAEA, the centre will advance sustainable pest control, insect biotechnology, and climate-resilient agriculture.

REACT Consortium Contributes To Scientific Breakthrough

In this study, we designed and validated a minimal version of the white pupae gene (mini-wp), which restores wild-type pupal colour in Medfly mutants. The construct was effective across various genomic insertion sites, even on the X chromosome, and supports the development of neo-classical Genetic Sexing Strains (GSS) for enhanced Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programmes.
This new tool could help to expand the SIT to more pest species, making mass-rearing and male-only releases more precise and efficient.

A New Tool for Precision Pest Control: Functional validation of a minimal white pupae gene construct in the Mediterranean fruit fly

In this study, we designed and validated a minimal version of the white pupae gene (mini-wp), which restores wild-type pupal colour in Medfly mutants. The construct was effective across various genomic insertion sites, even on the X chromosome, and supports the development of neo-classical Genetic Sexing Strains (GSS) for enhanced Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programmes.
This new tool could help to expand the SIT to more pest species, making mass-rearing and male-only releases more precise and efficient.

React Insect

SIT

10th IOBC-WPRS Working Group Meeting on Modern Biotechnology in Integrated Plant Production

New Research Hub Strengthens Sterile Insect Technique Science

REACT Consortium Contributes To Scientific Breakthrough

A New Tool for Precision Pest Control: Functional validation of a minimal white pupae gene construct in the Mediterranean fruit fly

Innovative Pest Control: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Agriculture