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Submitted to: Radiation Physics and Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2004 Publication Date: 7/1/2004 Citation: Follett, P.A. 2004. Irradiation to control insects in fruits and vegetables for export from hawaii. Journal of Radiation Physics and Chemistry. 71:163-166. Interpretive Summary: Phytosanitary or quarantine treatments are often required to disinfest host commodities of economically important arthropod pests before they are moved through market channels to areas where the pest does not occur. Irradiation is an accepted quarantine treatment to control tephritid fruit flies in 10 fruits and 4 vegetables for export from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland. Research on irradiation of fruit flies suggests 150 Gy will be effective against tephritid fruit flies; irradiation doses for sweet potato insects of quarantine concern are being developed. Technical Abstract: Phytosanitary or quarantine treatments are often required to disinfest host commodities of economically important arthropod pests before they are moved through market channels to areas where the pest does not occur. Irradiation is an accepted quarantine treatment to control tephritid fruit flies in 10 fruits and 4 vegetables for export from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland. Irradiation research is in progress (1) to lower the approved irradiation doses to control tephritid fruit flies, and (2) to identify an effective dose for two sweet potato insect pests. Irradiation is the ideal technology for developing generic quarantine treatments because it is effective against most insect and mite pests at dose levels that do not affect the quality of most commodities. A generic dose of 150 Gy has been proposed for tephritid fruit flies, and generic doses for additional insect groups may be recommended in the future. The idea of generic doses is appealing because it would greatly accelerate the process of approving irradiation quarantine treatments for specific crops, and thereby rapidly expand exports. |
