Insect sterile method suggested to control pests

By JOYCE INGIPA
MORE environment-friendly pest control measures can be used in PNG instead of chemicals, a scientist says.
“The sterile insect method (SIT) can be applied to protect cocoa and coffee instead of chemicals,” said the entomologist Deane Woruba who did his thesis using the method.
PhD candidate Woruba presented his thesis in Port Moresby this week and called the characterisation and isolation of gut bacterial communities from Queensland fruit flies across different environments to improve the sterile insect technique.
Woruba carried out his final project with one of Australia’s most significant biosecurity pests of horticulture, the Queensland fruit fly.
“With the Australian government phasing out all chemicals for pesticides due to environmental and health concerns, alternative environmentally friendly measures were being sought.”
He said the same method could be used in PNG because many industries like cocoa and coffee were being affected by pests.
“SIT can work on insects such as moths and butterflies,” he said.
“For cocoa it’s very easy because we know exactly where we can produce cocoa and can quantify the loss easily.”
“With the cocoa pod borer we know exactly where we’re at and we know the difference to justify the cause.
“For other pests, we need to do a cost benefit analysis on them because we need to know for sure just how much benefit and damage these pests are doing.”