Chromosome rearrangements for the control of insect pests

Over several years some biologists have been interested in the possibilities of employing genetic techniques in the control of insect pests. One idea has been to introduce in the natural population genotypes which could subsequently facilitate control, or which might render the pest innocuous. An- other idea that followed from the success of the .’sterile male” technique was to release genotypes with chromosomal aberrations whose subsequent segregation would result in sterility effects damaging to the population. Whitten (I) suggested combining these two ideas in one operation: in its simplest form the desired genotype would be obtained by incorporating the required genes in a chromosomal translocation. This would then be released as a homozygote in excess of the intrinsic unstable equilibrium which would result from the semisterility of the translocation heterozygote. The translocation producing the desired genotype would then autonomously become fixed while the genotype at the same time would produce sterile progeny in the early stages of the process. Thus we have the concept of a genetic transporting mechanism and a desired genotype to be transported, with the additional benefit of a transport device that might itself have transient damaging effects.