Effect of ionizing (gamma) and non-ionizing (UV) radiation on the development of Trichogramma euproctidis (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

Abstract

The potential of using gamma and ultraviolet radiation as an alternative treatment to increase the efficiency of Trichogramma euproctidis (Girault 1911) (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) was investigated in the laboratory. The developmental and adult stages of T. euproctidis were exposed to gamma radiation of different doses (0-30 Gy) and ultraviolet radiation of 254 nm wavelengths (UV-C) for different durations (0-10 min) to assess their effect on each of the instars and their potential in breaking the developmental cycle of the egg parasitoid. The LD 50 values for eggs, prepupae, pupae and adults were 8.1, 10.0, 22.7 and 9.5 Gy for gamma radiation and 9.5, 0.12, 2.0 and 11.9 min for UV radiation, respectively. The pupa and adult stages were more radioresistant to both gamma and UV radiation. The most interesting and unexpected result obtained for the prepupal stage was that UV radiation has a greater effect on prepupal stages than gamma radiation.