Scientists are confident in releasing a genetically modified moth into the wild to help pest control efforts that would benefit vegetable crops.

According to BBC News, authors of a study published in the journal BMC Biology detailed how the moth was successful in their limited confines. If the plan goes accordingly, the genetically modified moths will mate with females and bring about their own demise.

The new method comes from Oxitec, a company born out of Oxford University that aims to control pests without the use of insecticide.

"This research is opening new doors for the future of farming with pest control methods that are non-toxic and pesticide-free," study co-author Neil Morrison, lead diamondback moths (DBM) research scientist at Oxitec, said in a press release. "We all share an interest in safe and environmentally friendly pest control, so this is a very promising tool that could be put to good use by farmers as part of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies for healthy and sustainable agriculture."

Helen Wallace, of GeneWatch, told BBC News she is skeptical of the genetically modified moths being released into the wild.

"This is not a realistic method to suppress agricultural pests in open fields because the insects are not sterile: the female offspring of the GM moths mainly die as larvae when they are feeding on the crop," she said. "This means the crop will already be damaged by the time the adult numbers are reduced and it will also be contaminated by large numbers of dead GM larvae. We don't know if this is going to be safe for humans or wildlife, because the necessary tests have not been done, but it is unlikely to be popular with farmers or consumers."