CSIRO and Oxitec to Target Invasive Pests Across Australia and Oceania
January 15, 2025| |
Australia's national science agency, the Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), and Oxitec Ltd. officially launched Oxitec Australia on December 10, 2024, to deliver novel biosecurity solutions to combat some of the biggest pest challenges in Australia and the wider Oceania region.
Oxitec Australia has started on Oxitec's "just-add-water" Friendly™ Aedes aegypti mosquito solution, an innovative product proven to suppress urban populations of Aedes aegypti by up to 96%. This product is currently being reviewed by Australia's Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) before commercial release.
Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito) solution is also being developed to help prevent a major invasion risk to mainland Australia. “In collaboration with Indigenous communities, leading scientific institutions, industry partners, and farmers, we're committed to transforming how pest threats to health, food security, and ecosystems are addressed,” Oxitec CEO Mr. Grey Frandsen said.
The Friendly™ fall armyworm solution is also in the works to support Australian farmers in managing this invasive pest, which has been challenging to control since its first detection in 2020. This non-toxic genetic technology safely targets pests without harming beneficial species, like bees or birds, leaving no environmental footprint once the release stops.
For more information, read the article from CSIRO and Oxitec.
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