Low-oxygen hormetic conditioning improves field performance of sterile insects by inducing beneficial plasticity.

ABSTRACT: As part of sterile insect technique (SIT) programs, irradiation can effectively induce sterility in insects by damaging germline genomic DNA. However, irradiation also induces other off-target side effects that reduce the quality and performance of sterilized males, including the formation of damaging free radicals that can reduce sterile male performance. Thus, treatments that reduce off-target effects of irradiation on male performance while maintaining sterility can improve the feasibility and economy of SIT programs. We previously found that inducing a form of rapid, beneficial plasticity with a 1-hr anoxic-conditioning period (physiological conditioning hormesis) prior to and during irradiation improves male field performance in the laboratory while maintaining sterility in males of t

SUBMITTER: Lopez-Martinez G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7896707 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature