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Gamma Radiation for sterile insect quality in melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillet)

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Abstract

The male pupae of Zeugodacus cucurbitae were exposed to eight different doses of gamma (Cobalt 60 source) radiation (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 70, 90 and 100 Gy) to determine the optimum dose of gamma radiation that induces sterility with least negative effects on the quality of sterile males. Among eight doses, 50 Gy had induced 80.26% of sterility with the least negative effects on adult emergence (80.50%), adult flying ability (76.10%), deformation (7.90%), adult longevity (26 days) and survival under food stress (51.80%). Although more than 90% of sterility was obtained at 70, 90 and 100 Gy, quality parameters of sterile males, viz., flying ability, longevity, and survival were drastically affected with increased rates of deformations. Mating competitiveness of sterile males (SM) with normal males (NM) for their normal females (NF) at seven different sex ratios viz., 1:1:1, 2:1:1, 3:1:1, 4:1:1, 5:1:1, 7:1:1 and 9:1:1 showed the equally competitiveness of sterile males with normal males for their female mates at 5:1:1 with competitiveness value (CV) of 1.02. However, the sterile males showed superior competitiveness with normal males for their female mates at 7:1:1 (CV = 1.60) and 9:1:1 (CV = 1.98).

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Acknowledgements

The first author is thankful to Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Guntur and Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi for all the facilities and financial assistance provided during my post-graduation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology, S. V. Agricultural College, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati, 577 501, Andhra Pradesh, India

    Muthu Lakshmi B C, G S Panduranga & A Rajesh

  2. Department of Horticulture, S. V. Agricultural College, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India

    Karthik Reddy

  3. Department of Statistics and Computer Applications, S. V. Agricultural College, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India

    B Ramanamurthy

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  1. Muthu Lakshmi B C
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  2. G S Panduranga
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  3. A Rajesh
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Correspondence to G S Panduranga.

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Lakshmi B C, M., Panduranga, G.S., Rajesh, A. et al. Gamma Radiation for sterile insect quality in melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillet). Int J Trop Insect Sci 43, 949–960 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-023-00988-7

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