and as Key Factors Regulate Sexual Dimorphism in .

Sex determination is an important and traditional biological process. In Lepidoptera, () and () are the essential genes for sex determination and play critical roles in sexual differentiation and development. The functions of and have been characterized in several model insect species. However, the molecular mechanism and sex determination functions of and in , an agricultural pest, are still unknown. Here, we successfully used the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system to knock out and . Mutation of induced male external genital defects and sterility. Disruptions of the common region caused sex-specific defects in the external genitals and adult sterility. In addition, we found that and can regulate the pigmentation genes that control wing pigmentation patterns. These results demonstrate that and play key roles in the sex determination of , and suggest novel genetic control approaches for the management of pests, including .