Cryopreservation of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) VIENNA 8 genetic sexing strain: No effect on large scale production of high quality sterile males for SIT applications.

The sterile insect technique (SIT) integrated in area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programmes is being used for the successful management of the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) which is a horticultural pest of economic importance in tropical and subtropical countries. All programmes with an SIT component are using the VIENNA genetic sexing strains (GSS), mainly the VIENNA 8 GSS, which have been developed by applying classical genetic approaches. The VIENNA 8 GSS carries two selectable markers, the white pupae and the temperature sensitive lethal genes, which allows the production and release of only males thus increasing the biological efficiency and cost effectiveness of SIT applications. However, mass rearing may affect quality traits of the GSS, in which case replenishment of the colony with wild flies is recommended, a process which is tedious and time consuming. We previously reported the development of a cryopreservation protocol for the VIENNA 8D53+ strain. In the present study, we report on the evaluation of the cryopreserved strain VIENNA 8D53+/Cryo-228L, reared under semi mass rearing conditions, for production parameters, quality control indices and mating competitiveness of males, in a comparative way with the non-cryopreserved VIENNA 8D53+ strain, against wild type males. The VIENNA 8D53+ and VIENNA 8D53+/Cryo-228L strains were similar for production parameters viz. egg production, pupal production, pupal recovery, and quality control indices like fly emergence, sex ratio and flight ability. Males from both strains were equally competitive with males of the wild type strain in achieving mating with wild type females under field cage conditions. Results are discussed in the context of cryopreservation as a potential backup strategy for refreshing the mass rearing colony with biological material from a cryopreserved stock.