It also could help the scientists mark insect populations for better tracking and monitoring. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture 's chief research agency. Malcolm Fraser, Jr., an associate professor with the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Ind., discovered the genetic element, called piggyBac , in 1985 . ARS physiologist Paul D. Shirk, in collaboration with researcher O. P. Perera of the University of Florida , is testing piggyBac to see if it will work in pests that invade stored products. This shows that piggyBac can carry different genes into flies and is useful for changing or creating genetic differences in these insects.
Fruit flies cause major damage to citrus and other crops worldwide.
An in-depth article on this research appears in the April issue of Agricultural Research magazine.