The strategic use of refuge areas is a well-known method for delaying the development of pest resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crop. A lesser-known method to control against resistance development is sterile insect releases. In this article, an agent-based simulation model is used to test the effectiveness of combining the use of Bt sugarcane, refuge areas, and sterile insect releases as an integrated strategy against Eldana saccharinaWalker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) infestation and resistance development. Individual insects are modeled with their own genetic traits on a simulated sugarcane field that represents either Bt or refuge area.The model is applied to 2 hypothetical case studies. In the first experiment, resistance development and infestation dynamics in Bt sugarcane without refuge areas are considered using various sterile:wild sterile release ratios, and different release distributions. In the second experiment, the inclusion of a refuge area in Bt sugarcane is considered, using various sterile:wild releases ratios and different release distributions. A trade-off between sterile insect releases and the use of the refuge area was observed, and could, in some cases, work against each other.
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6 November 2024
Combining sterile insect releases with refuge areas to delay the evolution of resistance to Bt sugarcane: an agent-based modeling approach
Linke Potgieter,
Dirk J. Human,
Samantha Downing
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agent-based modeling
Bt sugarcane
refuge planning
resistance management
sterile releases