**7.4 Biotechnological control**

Recently, the transcriptome data showed that most of the core genes of RNAi pathway such as Dicer-like and Argonaute and putative orthologous Sid-1 genes are present in *T. absoluta*, suggesting the feasibility of RNAi for controlling this pest [50]. Full plant protection and high larval mortality of *T. absoluta* have not been achieved, probably due to a low expression of dsRNA in transgenic plants [51]. Novel management technologies for TPW include genetically modified crops (GM), for example, GM *Bacillus thuringiensis* (Bt) tomato [52]. RNA interference (RNAi) is a biological mechanism that leads to posttranscriptional gene silencing directed by the presence of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules [53]. Biotechnically, sterile insect technique (SIT) may also be used for the management of TLM [37]. However, this technique may be compromised if field populations of *T. absoluta* can reproduce by deuterotokous parthenogenesis [17]. It is worth to mention here that these authors reported tychoparthenogensis reproduction of *T. absoluta* under laboratory conditions. They stated that the origin of this type of reproduction could be considered as classical automictic tychoparthenogensis or due to the microbial manipulation by bacterial endosymbiont such as *Wolbachia*, which has recently been identified in *T. absoluta* [54].
