Gene drives and the management of agricultural pests

ABSTRACT

Gene editing using CRISPR-Cas9 provides potential for novel ways of genetic pest control by improving gene drives. Like all pest control strategies, gene drives are not hazard-free. Difficulties involved in the containment of gene drives may restrict their use and require international agreements before release of approved types. Ecological risk assessment of gene drives designed to control agricultural pests should be conducted before their deployment. Public support will be crucial for the implementation of gene drives for pest control. Natural and social scientists need to work together to design ways to include the public in the decision-making process. The present commentary provides some thoughts on some of the issues one should consider when contemplating using gene drives in the management of agricultural pests.

KEYWORDS:

• Gene editing
• CRISPR-Cas9
• agricultural pests
• gene drive
• genetic pest management

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Jennifer Kuzma and Fred Gould for organizing a forum on which to discuss gene drives in a multidisciplinary setting. My gratitude also goes to Kevin Esvelt, Taher Lokhandwala, Jocelyn Holt, and Mackenzie Tietjen for their suggestions to improve the clarity of this commentary.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Dr Raul F. Medina’s research interests center around the role that ecological factors play in the population genetics of arthropods. Dr Medina is particularly interested in the incorporation of evolutionary ecology considerations into pest control practices. His laboratory is currently assessing how species interactions at macroscopic (e.g. host–parasite associations) and microscopic (e.g. arthropod microbiomes) levels may affect genetic variation of agricultural pests and arthropod vectors of human disease. Dr Medina is currently exploring if the same principles governing insect herbivores’ adaptation to their hosts translate in arthropod parasites of animals. Dr Medina completed his Bachelor in Biology in Lima, Peru at the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina. He then obtained a Graduate Certificate in conservation biology from the University of Missouri in Saint Louis. He received his Master and Ph.D. from the University of Maryland working on predation of forest caterpillars and on hymenopteran parasitoid population genetics, respectively. Soon after his Ph.D., Dr Medina started working at Texas A&M where he is currently a Professor.