Latest / West Coast Nut Audio Edition / New approach to NOW control takes a genetic route
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- From the October-November 2026 issue of West Coast Nut: New approach to NOW control takes a genetic route. By Cecilia Parsons, Associate Editor. Navel orangeworm control is taking a new direction. Biotechnology company Flyttr has announced a multiyear program to develop a genetically sterile male navel orangeworm that could be used to control NOW populations in California tree nut orchards. Unlike the Sterile Insect Technique program currently underway, this UK and Virginia-based company will not use radiation to sterilize the male NOW. The program focuses on developing an implementation-ready “Friendly” navel orangeworm product they say can integrate into and dramatically improve established pest management systems. Flyttr is a global biosecurity and sustainable pest management platform formerly known as Oxitec. Neil Morrison, chief strategy officer at Flyttr, said the focus is producing a robust, competitive male NOW. “Because our insects are not subjected to irradiation or associated handling, they retain more of their natural fitness than irradiated insects,” Morrison said. Confirming their performance in California orchards in field trials is part of the process. Believing that the irradiation used in the ongoing Sterile Insect Technique program to sterilize male NOW is affecting the ability of the males to disperse and mate with wild NOW females when released over an orchard site, this effort is focused on a “Friendly” male navel orangeworm biologically engineered to achieve the same end result through a small, precise change in the insect’s genetics rather than radiation. Flyttr confirmed the process does not use CRISPR technology. Release and deployment of the sterile males are part of the program. Morrison said those actions will be designed in close consultation with growers and other industry partners so they fit established pest management systems and operational realities of almond and pistachio orchards. The number of sterilized males needed to overflood wild NOW moths in orchards has not been determined. Morrison said they expect the male-only releases and the higher fitness of those will reduce NOW numbers relative to conventional sterile insect approaches. No word on costs Morrison said it is still too early to put a figure on grower costs. The aim, he said, is to deliver suppression that conventional tools cannot achieve at farm scale and over large landscapes, cost-effectively and in a form that fits the needs of the industry. Flyttr reports that its process has two advantages: it enables male-only releases, which are more cost-effective and due to the change in genetics, irradiation and subsequent handling are avoided. The company says its genetically engineered male moths could be more competitive and effective after release. Field trials in California almond and pistachio orchards will evaluate their performance. “The male-only releases and the higher fitness of our insects are both designed to reduce the numbers required relative to conventional sterile-insect approaches,” Morrison said. “We are in the early stages of a multiyear program. Over its course we will develop and validate the product, the large-scale production systems and the deployment and manufacturing infrastructure needed to bring it to growers,” he added. Both the Almond Board of California and the California Pistachio Research Board have invested in UC efforts to control NOW with the Sterile Insect Technique, rearing and sterilizing male moths and releasing them in orchards to mate with wild moths and control numbers in orchards. The number of moths released to affect NOW populations, marking and monitoring have been parts of the program. UC Extension Specialist Houston Wilson, in a report to CPRB in 2025, said work continues to improve production, handling, transport and release of sterile moths. Alternative strategies for rearing and sterilizing the moths are also being explored to produce a more competitive moth. Lauren Fann, IPM manager at the Almond Board of California, noted the board has a long history of investing in innovative, science-based alternatives to traditional pest control methods and has invested in sterile insect technology to manage navel orangeworm for several years. ABC support “The board’s support of sterile insect technology is part of that ongoing commitment to providing growers with more tools in the toolbox to manage navel orangeworm. By continuing to explore and invest in new approaches, we can help growers build effective, sustainable pest management programs for the future,” Fann said. The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, the Almond Board of California and Flyttr partnered on a nearly $5 million grant to advance the development of a biological approach targeting navel orangeworm in almonds and pistachios. ABC is helping fund a portion of the project as part of a broader commitment to support practical, science-based solutions. Funding from FFAR and industry partners will support work needed to move the technology closer to practical use, including large-scale production systems and field studies. FFAR was established in the 2014 Farm Bill. USDA is listed on its website as a major source of funding. The Almond Board of California notes that the significance of this new technology is not that it replaces today’s best practices. Sanitation, monitoring, mating disruption, timely harvest and well-timed treatments remain important parts of navel orangeworm management. Instead, this research is focused on developing a targeted biological tool that could complement existing programs and help reduce reliance on conventional insecticides over time. It represents an important step toward expanding the number of durable tools available to growers managing navel orangeworm pressure. Navel orangeworm remains one of the costliest pests facing California tree nuts, with industry losses estimated at more than $800 million each year. Damage can affect yield, quality and food safety, which is why the pest continues to be a priority for research, industry collaboration and new technology development. That was New approach to NOW control takes a genetic route, from the October-November 2026 issue of West Coast Nut. You can read the full article, with photos, at wcngg.com.