Direct parental CRISPR gene editing in the predatory bug 𝑂𝑟𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑠, a biocontrol agent against small arthropods

BACKGROUND: The predatory flower bug 𝑂𝑟𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑠 serves as a valuable biocontrol agent against small arthropods; however, its effectiveness can vary, especially when population establishment fails due to low prey/pest densities. A promising approach to improve the efficacy of 𝑂. 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑠 as a biocontrol agent is through gene editing. However, as females lay their eggs in plant tissue, the conventional embryo injection approach is challenging in this species.