Anoxia hormesis in cactus moth

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 one-hour anoxic
conditioning period (physiological conditioning hormesis) prior to and
during irradiation improves male field performance in the laboratory while
maintaining sterility in males of the cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum.
Here we extend this work by testing the extent to which this beneficial
plasticity may improve male field performance in the field. Based on
capture rates after a series of mark release-recapture experiments, we
found that anoxia-conditioned irradiated moths were active in the field
longer than their irradiated counterparts. In addition, anoxia-conditioned
moths were captured in traps that were farther away from the release site
than unconditioned moths, suggesting greater dispersal. These data
confirmed that beneficial plasticity induced by anoxia hormesis prior to
irradiation led to lower post-irradiation damage and increased performance
in field conditions. We recommend greater consideration of
beneficial plasticity responses in biological control programs, and
specifically the implementation of anoxia-conditioning treatments applied
prior to irradiation in area-wide integrated pest management programs that
use SIT.