Bioenergetics growth model for the effect of gamma irradiation and plant extract (Barnoof) on the progeny of Black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel)

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of two substerilizing doses of gamma radiation, 100 and 150Gray (Gy), and/or the plant extract Conyza dioscorides (Barnoof) in two solvents on certain biological aspects and the energy budget of the Black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel).Data revealed that the treatment combination of gamma radiation with the plant extract significantly increased reproduction compared with the control at all treatment levels (doses and concentrations).Most of the treatments increased the values of developmental/day and larval duration in the F1 progeny compared with the progeny from the control treatment, although the percentage survival was decreased in all treatments. These values were more obvious in the combination treatments compared with either gamma radiation or plant extract treatments alone.The coefficient of metabolizable energy (C.M.E.) was not affected by any treatments. No consistent effect on the efficiency of storage of ingested energy [E.S.I.(E.)] and the efficiency of storage of metabolizable energy [E.S.M.(E.)] when the F1 progeny were treated with plant extract alone or with the plant extract combined with the 100Gy dose of radiation was noted, while they were both significantly increased at all treatment levels when the 150Gy dose of radiation was combined with the plant extract. The results obtained are discussed in terms of their implications for the best substerilizing dose of radiation on parental male pupae of A. ipsilon.