Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of the Invasive Oriental Fruit Fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Burkina Faso

Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel is a highly invasive horticultural pest that is of major economic importance worldwide. In Burkina Faso, it is one of the main insect pests that affects the production and exportation of mangos. Understanding the biology and the genetic dynamics of this insect pest provides crucial information for the development of effective control measures. The aim of this study was to understand the distribution, diversity, and genetic structure of B. dorsalis in Burkina Faso. Male flies were collected transversally in Burkina Faso and analyzed by PCR using 10 microsatellite markers. The results showed an abundance of B. dorsalis varying from 87 to 2986 flies per trap per day at the different sampling sites. The genetic diversity was high at all sites, with an average Shannon’s Information Index (I) of 0.72 per site. The gene flow was high between study populations and ranged from 10.62 to 27.53 migrants. Bayesian admixture analysis showed no evidence of structure, while Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components identified three weakly separated clusters in the population of B. dorsalis in Burkina Faso. The results of this study could be used to optimize the effectiveness of current control interventions and to guide the implementation of new, innovative, and sustainable strategies

From the Lab to the Field: Long-Distance Transport of Sterile <i>Aedes</i> Mosquitoes

Pilot programs of the sterile insect technique (SIT) against Aedes aegypti may rely on importing significant and consistent numbers of high-quality sterile males from a distant mass rearing factory. As such, long-distance mass transport of sterile males may contribute to meet this requirement if their survival and quality are not compromised. This study therefore aimed to develop and assess a novel method for long-distance shipments of sterile male mosquitoes from the laboratory to the field. Different types of mosquito compaction boxes in addition to a simulation of the transport of marked and unmarked sterile males were assessed in terms of survival rates/recovery rates, flight ability and morphological damage to the mosquitoes. The novel mass transport protocol allowed long-distance shipments of sterile male mosquitoes for up to four days with a nonsignificant impact on survival (>90% for 48 h of transport and between 50 and 70% for 96 h depending on the type of mosquito compaction box), flight ability, and damage. In addition, a one-day recovery period for transported mosquitoes post-transport increased the escaping ability of sterile males by more than 20%. This novel system for the long-distance mass transport of mosquitoes may therefore be used to ship sterile males worldwide for journeys of two to four days. This study demonstrated that the protocol can be used for the standard mass transport of marked or unmarked chilled Aedes mosquitoes required for the SIT or other related genetic control programs