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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #185211
Title: MOBILITY OF MASS-REARED DIAPAUSED AND NONDIAPAUSED CYDIA POMONELLA (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE): EFFECT OF MATING STATUS AND TREATMENT WITH GAMMA RADIATION

Author
item BLOEM, STEPHANIE - RALEIGH, NC
item Carpenter, James
item DORN, SYLVIA - ZURICH, SWITZERLAND

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/17/2006
Publication Date: 6/1/2006
Citation: Bloem, S., Carpenter, J.E., Dorn, S. 2006. Mobility of mass-reared diapaused and nondiapaused Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae): Effect of mating status and treatment with gamma radiation. Journal of Economic Entomology. 99(3):699-706.

Interpretive Summary: The quality of mass-reared insects is very important to a control program that uses the sterile technique. Because mass-reared insects may differ in their behavioral traits depending on whether or not they have undergone diapause, we studied the mobility of mass-reared diapaused and non-diapaused codling moths to understand the effect that mating status and radiation dose may have on these insects. Actograph-measured mobility was assessed one gender at a time for four hours during which the photoperiod transitioned from day to night. We found that diapaused females were significantly more mobile than females reared through non-diapaused, but detected no differences in male mobility due to diapause rearing. Mated females were significantly more mobile than virgin females, while no difference in mobility due to mating status was detected for males. Mated females were significantly more mobile than mated males. In contrast, virgin females were significantly less mobile than virgin males. For diapaused and non-diapaused male adults, we found a significant decrease in mobility as the radiation dose increased from 0Gy to 250Gy.

Technical Abstract: Mass-reared insects may differ in their behavioral traits depending on whether or not they have undergone diapause. We studied the mobility of mass-reared diapaused and non-diapaused Cydia pomonella (L.) with a focus on understanding the effect of mating status and treatment with gamma radiation as these insects are destined for use in an area-wide program that employs the sterile insect technique (SIT). Actograph-measured mobility was assessed one gender at a time for four hours during which the photoperiod transitioned from day to night. We tested 20-30 individuals per treatment. For experiments on the effect of mating status we used 24-48 hour-old adults (D-virgin, D-mated, N-virgin and N-mated), which is the typical age class that is released in the SIT program. Diapaused females were significantly more mobile than females reared through standard production, while, no differences were detected in male mobility due to rearing strategy. Mated females were significantly more mobile than virgin females, while no difference in mobility due to mating status was detected for males. Mated females were significantly more mobile than mated males. In contrast, virgin females were significantly less mobile than virgin males. For experiments on the effect of treatment with gamma radiation, adults from all rearing strategies and treatments (D-0Gy, D-100Gy, D-250Gy, N-0Gy, N-100Gy, and N-250Gy), were tested simultaneously. Adult males were tested at two different constant temperatures (25°C and 20°C), while adult females were tested only at 25°C. For standard-reared adults, we found a significant linear decrease in mobility as the radiation dose increased from 0Gy to 250Gy. In contrast, the relationship between mobility and dose of radiation for diapaused males was quadratic and absent for diapaused females.