Abstract

Genetic Control of Insect Pests focuses on laboratory and field trials of genetic control methods of insects, which entails the use of insects to control themselves. It particularly describes species-specific and non-polluting genetic methods that have the advantage over most other methods of being efficient when the target insect is in low density, as the released insects have the capacity to search out the wild populations.
Composed of nine chapters, the core parts of the book cover the mass-rearing, sterilization, and release of populations in the hope that these will mate with wild populations, leading to fertility reduction and population elimination. The book also examines techniques that use naturally existing population incompatibilities and techniques, which can result in population replacement rather than eradication with the intention to render such replacement populations harmless beforehand by genetic manipulation.
This book is a valuable source of information for those who are searching for biological alternatives of insect pests control.