What is a common limitation of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) in large mosquito populations?

What is a common limitation of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) in large mosquito populations?

• A. Requires mass production and release of sterile males; effectiveness depends on mating competitiveness.
• B. It is inexpensive and easy to deploy everywhere.
• C. It only targets larval stages.
• D. It increases wild population.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that SIT works by releasing sterile males and relying on them to mate with wild females, so that no viable offspring result. In large mosquito populations, you must flood the environment with sterile males to outcompete the wild males for matings. That means mass-producing and releasing huge numbers of sterile males, and their effectiveness hinges on how well they can compete for mates after release. If the sterile males are less competitive — perhaps due to handling, radiation, or stress from release — females may still mate with fertile wild males, reducing the impact of the technique. So the common limitation is the need for large-scale production and release of sterile males, with success strongly tied to their mating competitiveness. Other statements don’t fit because SIT targets adult males, not larval stages, and it requires substantial resources to produce and release enough sterile insects, so it isn’t inexpensive or easy everywhere. It is designed to reduce, not increase, the wild population.

The main idea here is that SIT works by releasing sterile males and relying on them to mate with wild females, so that no viable offspring result. In large mosquito populations, you must flood the environment with sterile males to outcompete the wild males for matings. That means mass-producing and releasing huge numbers of sterile males, and their effectiveness hinges on how well they can compete for mates after release. If the sterile males are less competitive — perhaps due to handling, radiation, or stress from release — females may still mate with fertile wild males, reducing the impact of the technique. So the common limitation is the need for large-scale production and release of sterile males, with success strongly tied to their mating competitiveness.

Other statements don’t fit because SIT targets adult males, not larval stages, and it requires substantial resources to produce and release enough sterile insects, so it isn’t inexpensive or easy everywhere. It is designed to reduce, not increase, the wild population.