Entomovectoring relies on the dissemination of biocides by insects to control plant pests and diseases. Current research aims at coupling entomovectoring with the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). Such boosted-SIT is a promising technique to control the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera, Tephritidae), an invasive pest that dooms African and Asian fruit-producers and is invading Europe. Here, we investigated empirically the potential of boosting the SIT using spores of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae. Laboratory bioassay confirmed the transmission potential of the fungus from inoculated males to males and females, with subsequent reductions in survival and fecundity. Inoculation, like sterility, nonetheless reduced male mating success. Semi-field tests (i.e., large outdoor cages) revealed greater costs of fungal inoculation on male competitivity than observed in the laboratory. Combined with effects of inoculation on male survival, these costs led to a lower reduction in female reproduction in the presence of inoculated sterile males compared to plain sterile males. As tested here, boosting the SIT with M. anisoplae spores to control B. dorsalis could reduce its efficacy. The encouraging transmission patterns, however, suggest that technical improvements may render the boosted-SIT effective in some, if not all, ecological contexts.

昆虫媒介传播依靠昆虫传播杀菌剂来控制植物病虫害。目前的研究旨在将昆虫媒介与昆虫不育技术（SIT）结合起来。这种增强型昆虫不育技术是控制东方果蝇、橘小实蝇（双翅目、实蝇科）的一种很有前途的技术，这种入侵害虫给非洲和亚洲的水果生产者带来了厄运，并且正在入侵欧洲。在这里，我们根据经验研究了使用昆虫病原真菌绿僵菌孢子增强昆虫不育技术的潜力。实验室生物测定证实了真菌从接种的雄性到雄性和雌性的传播潜力，随后存活率和繁殖力下降。尽管如此，与不育一样，接种也会降低雄性交配的成功率。半田间试验（即大型户外笼子）显示，真菌接种对雄性竞争力的影响比实验室中观察到的要大。与接种对雄性存活率的影响相结合，与普通不育雄性相比，这些成本导致在接种的不育雄性存在下，雌性繁殖的减少幅度较小。正如这里所测试的，用 M. anisoplae 孢子增强 SIT 来控制橘小实蝇可能会降低其功效。然而，令人鼓舞的传播模式表明，技术改进可能会使强化昆虫不育技术在某些（如果不是全部）生态环境中发挥作用。