Mathematical studies on optimal implementation of SIT to suppress mosquito population

The sterile insect technique (SIT) is an environmentally friendly approach to insect management involving the release of sterile insects to reduce the population of their wild counterparts. In this study, we analyze a stage-structured entomological model depicting the dynamics of a wild-type mosquito population. Our observations reveal that mosquitoes exhibiting the Allee effect are prone to population collapse. Extending the model, we introduce sterile mosquitoes as a control measure against the wild-type mosquito species and explore the efficacy of SIT with three release strategies for sterile mosquitoes: constant release (CR), proportional release (PR), and saturated proportional release (SPR). Comparative analysis reveals that SIT with the PR strategy exhibits complex dynamics and superior effectiveness in eradicating mosquito populations over CR and SPR strategies. Additionally, the PR strategy demands a lower supply rate of sterile mosquitoes to eliminate the mosquito population and remains effective despite the low survival fitness of sterile mosquitoes. We also observe that SIT with the PR strategy is particularly effective in eliminating mosquito populations, especially in situations with a higher influx of wild mosquitoes from neighboring areas. Employing an optimal control approach further confirms the superiority of the PR strategy in suppressing wild mosquito populations compared to CR and SPR.