The Effect of gamma co-60 radiation on the mung bean weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus Fab.) and the quality of mung bean seed (Phaseolus radiatus L.)

Abstract

Mung bean is the one of the nutritious commodity bean plants, however the productivity of mung bean production in Indonesia is relatively low because of pests or pathogens, such as the mung bean weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus). Radiation is one of techniques used to control pests or pathogens in crops. This research aimed to determine whether radiation in certain doses (GR-20 and GR-50) could protect and eradicate the mung bean weevil without affecting the quality of mung bean seeds. The following procedure were: radiosensitivity testing of irradiated seeds (GR-20 and GR-50), analyzing the data of radiation treatment before and after infested weevil and seeds quality testing. The results showed that the figure of adult population development in irradiated and in non-irradiated seeds (Figure 2) had no significant different, the radiation protection test showed that neither a GR-20 (222,20 Gray) nor a GR-50 (608,80 Gray) had an effect on adult population development, while the radiation eradication test showed that a GR-20 dose was lethal dose to the eggs of the mung bean weevil. The irradiation seed treatment had no effect on the quality of seeds, based on the water content and protein content.