PJB-2024-341
The impact of gamma irradiation dosages on cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopisis survival and mortality rates
Shahid Yar
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of gamma irradiation dosages on cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopisis survival and mortality rates at the Medical Entomology laboratory of the Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture NIFA, Peshawar Pakistan. The different stages of the cotton mealybug were screened against different doses (50, 100, 150, 200 and 250Gy). The results revealed that the dose of 250Gy demonstrated the most promising results among the tested dosages, continually producing low survival rates and rising mortality over a period of weeks. Our findings revealed that for the mealybug in the crawlers stages a dose rate of 250Gy showed only 36% survival in the 1st week, followed by 200Gy, 150Gy, 100Gy and 100Gy doses respectively. The results further showed that 250Gy and 200Gy dosages showed no (0%) survival in the last weeks (week 7-9), while the dose of 50Gy exhibited only 53% survival in the last weeks. In the case of the 2nd stage of mealybug, 48% survival rate was shown in the 1st week at 250Gy, followed by 200Gy, 150Gy, 100Gy and 50Gy doses. In the last weeks (7,8, and 9) showed nil (0%) survival at 250gy and 200gy doses. The results regarding the 3rd stage showed that the 250Gy dose exhibited a 48% survival in the 1st week, followed by 200Gy, 150Gy, 100Gy and 50Gy with 58%, 68%, 72% and 84% respectively. The data regarding adult stages showed significantly lower survival rates (0%) at 250Gy dose in the last weeks (week 9) followed by the 200Gy dose. The study concluded that in all developmental stages, the 150Gy to 250Gy dose range shown the best dosage range for suppression and inhibition of mealybug survival and hence is recommended as a phytosanitary treatment to effectively reduce cotton mealybugs.
To Cite this article:
Download
