GM moths 'can curb pest invasion'

A genetically modified moth could help curb a major pest of vegetable crops around the world, research suggests. The diamondback moth feeds on cabbage, broccoli and other crucifers causing an estimated $5bn in damage per year. But male moths with a "self-limiting" gene produce female offspring that do not survive to reproduce. When released into the wild to mate with wild-type females, the GM male moths should over time cause populations of the pest to crash. We need this new technology to solve some old-world problems Prof Tony Shelton, Cornell University A new study published in BMC Biology shows that the technique works very well in confined conditions. The GM moths have been developed by the British company Oxitec, based in Oxford. And the publication of the paper comes ahead of field trials of the GM moth - in which the insects will be studied under netting - at Cornell University in New York this summer. These trials were approved by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) last year, and scientists have plans to carry out small-scale field releases of the insect in future.READ MORE -http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-33549875