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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 #296834
Title: Large-scale confirmatory tests of a phytosanitary irradiation treatment against Sternochetus frigidus (F.) in Philippine mango

Author
item OBRA, G. B. - Philippine Nuclear Research Institute
item SILVA, S. S. - Philippine Nuclear Research Institute
item Follett, Peter
item LORENZANA, L. R. J. - Philippine Nuclear Research Institute

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2013
Publication Date: 2/10/2014
Citation: Obra, G., Silva, S., Follett, P.A., Lorenzana, L. 2014. Large-scale confirmatory tests of a phytosanitary irradiation treatment against Sternochetus frigidus (F.) in Philippine mango. Journal of Economic Entomology. 107(1):161-165.

Interpretive Summary: The mango pulp weevil is an important quarantine pest preventing the export of mangoes from the Philippines to the United States. Dose response data with larvae, pupae and adults suggested a radiation dose of 100 Gy would be an effective treatment. Large-scale validation tests were conducted with adults (the most radiation tolerant stage) in mangoes at 100 Gy and 150 Gy. At 100 Gy, adults laid a small number of eggs but none of the eggs hatched. At 150 Gy (measured doses 96.7-164.1 Gy), 4,559 treated weevils laid no eggs, indicating that this dose caused complete sterility. Irradiation treatment with a minimum absorbed dose of 165 Gy will therefore provide quarantine security for S. frigidus in exported Philippine mangoes.

Technical Abstract: The mango pulp weevil, Sternochetus frigidus (F.) is an important quarantine pest preventing the export of mangoes from the Philippines to the United States and other countries. Previously, a radiation dose of 100 Gy was proposed for phytosanitary treatment of S. frigidus based on dose-response studies with larvae, pupae and adult weevils. To validate an irradiation treatment, large-scale confirmatory tests were conducted with adults (the most radiation tolerant stage) in mangoes at 100 Gy and 150 Gy. Following treatment, adults were removed from fruit, sexed, and mated in pairs to observe any reproduction. At 100 Gy, adults laid a small number of eggs but none of the eggs hatched. At 150 Gy (measured doses 96.7-164.1 Gy), 4,559 treated weevils laid no eggs, indicating that this dose caused complete sterility. Irradiation treatment with a minimum absorbed dose of 165 Gy will therefore provide quarantine security for S. frigidus in exported Philippine mangoes.