Radiation entomology and the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)

14 July. Irradiation Applications in Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) Programs for the Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitis capitata).

This webinar was organized in collaboration with AARINENA and the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM), Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye. It brought together leading experts in radiation entomology and the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) to discuss the application of irradiation in Mediterranean fruit fly management programmes.

The webinar covered the principles of SIT and its integration into pest management strategies, the use of gamma and X-ray irradiation to sterilize Mediterranean fruit flies, irradiation dose optimization, insect quality assurance, mass rearing, and operational aspects of SIT implementation. Speakers also shared experiences from national and regional SIT programmes, highlighted recent advances in radiation entomology, and discussed opportunities for strengthening regional collaboration in sustainable fruit fly control.

• Moderated by Dr. Didem KÖKDEN, International Relations Coordinator at TAGEM.
• Dr. Ümran Akkan Demirer, Head of the Biotechnical Control Department, Bornova Plant Protection Research Institute (TAGEM), who will present the operational implementation of SIT, including mass rearing, sterilization, quality control, and field application.
• Dr. Dilan Özmen, Senior Researcher at the TENMAK Nuclear Energy Research Institute, who will present irradiation technologies for sterile insect production, dose optimization, and quality assurance.

Note: 

Türkiye's Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programme progressed more slowly than anticipated because it remained in the research, development and pilot implementation phase for many years. The programme focused on developing domestic capacity—including mass rearing of Mediterranean fruit flies, genetic sexing strains, irradiation protocols, quality control, and release technology—before moving to operational field releases. In recent years, with continued technical support from the IAEA, Türkiye has accelerated implementation: in 2025 the Bornova Plant Protection Research Institute installed and calibrated a new ground-based sterile insect release system and began pilot releases in citrus orchards in İzmir, confirming that the national programme is actively expanding rather than being discontinued.

Jordan’s Mediterranean fruit fly SIT programme was interrupted mainly because it depended on sterile flies shipped from Guatemala, making it vulnerable to long transport times, flight cancellations, and stricter aviation security after September 2001, which sometimes caused shipments to arrive late or in poor condition. Regional political and security tensions also complicated coordination among Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority, while the absence of a nearby mass-rearing facility limited reliable expansion. The programme itself was technically successful in suppressing fruit fly populations, but these logistical and geopolitical constraints led to interruptions and encouraged a shift from eradication toward sustained suppression.

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8 April 2026. Controlling mosquitoes using the sterile insect technique.

This CIRAD workshop aims to bring together key players to accelerate the operationalisation of SIT within an integrated health vision. It will bring together scientists, French public health stakeholders (Regional Health Agencies, Santé Publique France, Ministry of Health, Mosquito Control Services) and foreign stakeholders, international SIT experts and private vector control operators.

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IAEA (2022) Nuclear Technologies and Climate Adapt action in Africa 46 p.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), through the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, supports several Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programmes in Africa. 

These programmes use gamma- or X-ray irradiation to sterilize male insects before releasing them into the environment, reducing pest populations without pesticides. SIT is currently being applied primarily against tsetse flies, fruit flies, and, increasingly, disease-transmitting mosquitoes.

Success stories

• The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre is testing induced genetic variation for insect pest resistance as an alternative to other techniques. Seven African countries are participating in this project, with a focus on the cowpea pod borer. Early success has already been demonstrated by one participating research group in India.
• The IAEA, in cooperation with the FAO, has helped Morocco achieve its first victory in the ongoing campaign to suppress the Mediterranean fruit fly. Moroccan counterparts have received the training and equipment necessary to detect and respond in a timely manner to any incursion by other fruit fly pests, which is a prerequisite for sustained suppression using the SIT. 
• The IAEA, in cooperation with the FAO, helped Senegal to suppress pest populations by applying the SIT. The disease that tsetse flies transmit can kill livestock or make them sick. The tsetse fly populations in the entire project area are suppressed by more than 97%, resulting in a very low prevalence of the disease trypanosomosis that the flies transmit. This resulted in a significant increase in milk yields, and a ten-fold increase in the use of imported, more productive, exotic cattle with a positive overall return on investment. 
• A new fruit fly mass rearing facility in Mauritius went into service in August 2019, with the capacity to produce 15 million flies per week. The target is to release the sterile flies in fruit and vegetable production areas to suppress fruit and vegetable infestations in selected areas. 
• The IAEA, in partnership with the FAO, has provided technical support to a false codling moth project in South Africa. The insects are produced locally in a mass rearing facility and released in the citrus production areas. The release period is from September to June over a period of ten months, with 40 million moths per week released throughout 16 500 hectares.

African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA) network

AFRA is an intergovernmental agreement of 39 African Member States established in 1990. Supported by the IAEA, it strengthens peaceful nuclear applications in agriculture, human health, water resources, and industry.AFRA works directly with specialized regional networks and centers to build local expertise:

• AFRA-NEST: The African Network for Education in Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA-NEST) harmonizes curricula, awards scholarships, and facilitates the exchange of students and researchers across the continent.
• RDCs: AFRA utilizes over 30 designated Regional Designated Centres (RDCs), such as the Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS) in Ghana and the University of Alexandria in Egypt, to conduct master's fellowship programs.Thematic Focus: Cooperative projects span six main areas, including sustainable energy, radiation safety, and nuclear security.