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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Hilo, Hawaii » Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center » Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #317180

Title: Postharvest irradiation treatment for quarantine control of the invasive Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Author
item Nadel, Hannah
item Follett, Peter
item Parry, Christopher
item MACK, RON - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/11/2016
Publication Date: 12/19/2017
Citation: Nadel, H., Follett, P.A., Parry, C.K., Mack, R. 2017. Postharvest irradiation treatment for quarantine control of the invasive Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Journal of Economic Entomology. 111(1):127-134.

Interpretive Summary: Irradiation is a postharvest treatment option for exported berries and berry-like fruits to prevent movement of the quarantine pest European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana. The effects of irradiation on egg, larval, and pupal development in European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), were examined. A radiation dose of 150 Gy prevented adult emergence in eggs and larvae at all stages. In large scale validation tests, a radiation dose of 150 Gy applied to fifth instar larvae in artificial diet resulted in no survival to the adult stage in 4,000 treated individuals. For most commodities, the fifth instar is the most radiotolerant life stage likely to occur with the commodity; a minimum radiation dose of 150 Gy will prevent adult emergence from this stage. For traded commodities such as table grapes that may contain L.botrana pupae, a higher radiation dose may be necessary to sterilize emerging adults. Radiotolerance in L.botrana is comparable to other tortricids and data reported here support the generic dose of 250 Gy proposed for eggs and larvae of this group.

Technical Abstract: The effects of irradiation on egg, larval, and pupal development in European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), were examined. Eggs, neonates, third instars, fifth instars, and early and late stage pupae were irradiated at target doses of 50, 100, 150, or 200 Gy or left untreated as controls in replicated factorial experiments and survival to the adult stage was recorded. Tolerance to radiation generally increased with increasing age and developmental stage. A radiation dose of 150 Gy prevented adult emergence in eggs and larvae at all stages. Pupae were more radiotolerant than larvae, and late stage pupae were more tolerant than early stage pupae. In large scale validation tests, a radiation dose of 150 Gy applied to fifth instar larvae in artificial diet resulted in no survival to the adult stage in 4,000 treated individuals. For most commodities, the fifth instar is the most radiotolerant life stage likely to occur with the commodity; a minimum radiation dose of 150 Gy will prevent adult emergence from this stage. For traded commodities such as table grapes that may contain L. botrana pupae, a higher radiation dose may be necessary to sterilize emerging adults. Radiotolerance in L.botrana is comparable to other tortricids and data reported here support the generic dose of 250 Gy proposed for eggs and larvae of this group.