Western Australia has shipped a large quantity of sterile Mediterranean fruit flies (Medfly) to South Australia to help deal with a recent outbreak of fruit fly.
Plant biosecurity staff at the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia bred the sterile flies at the request of the department of to help eradicate an outbreak of Medfly in Sellicks Beach, Adelaide.
Department senior research officer Bill Woods said the contract with PIRSA involved the shipment from WA of 500,000 sterile flies twice per week over four weeks.
“The sterile insect technique is used worldwide for the eradication and control of fruit flies,” Mr Woods said.
“Fruit flies are reared at the department’s facilities in South Perth and irradiated so they become sterile.
“The department recently hosted former United States Department of Agriculture fruit fly specialist Dr Don McInnis to help test the competitiveness of the sterile flies produced.
“The tests involved sterile and wild (fertile) males being released in a field cage and competing for the attention of wild females.
“The results indicated the sterile medfly had good mating competitiveness and induced high levels of sterility in wild females.”
Prior to 2013, the department had a long-term contract with PIRSA to supply sterile fruit flies to eradicate outbreaks in South Australia.
Mr Woods said the department last year completed a trial release of sterile fruit flies around Roleystone.
“Sterile flies are just one weapon for use against the Mediterranean fruit fly,” Mr Woods said.
“They are not a silver bullet. Sustained baiting by commercial and residential growers and scrupulous orchard hygiene to remove breeding sites are essential for successful use of the technique.”
Media contact: Jodie Thomson/Dionne Tindale, media liaison +61 (0)8 9368 3937