Abstract
Two natural compounds (quercetin and curcumin) were tested as sensitizing or protecting agents for Navel Orangeworm (NOW) larvae under x-ray sterilization, with the aim to reduce required doses and thus facilitate the substitution of x-ray for radioisotopes. The compounds were added to NOW diet at concentrations between 0 and 1.0 mmol kg−1 and subsequent reared male larvae were subjected to x-ray irradiation (90 keV, 9 mA) to doses up to 15 Gy. Upon emergence as adults, surviving male NOW were paired with colony virgin females and placed in isolation for observation of deformity, mortality, and fertility. Treatments included rearing larvae on infused diet before irradiation, after irradiation, and both. Results were tabulated as percentage of insects that were dead/deformed, infertile, or fertile and subjected to chi-squared analysis. While insect populations subjected to quercetin treatments were not found to be significantly different from control at any x-ray dose, all curcumin treatments yielded significant differences at an absorbed dose of 10 Gy, both in terms of decreased mortality and fertility. While none of the treatments resulted in acceptable mortality/deformity rates, the observed effects strongly support the need for continued testing of natural compounds for their efficacy to reduce required dose levels for sterilization.
Highlights
Tree nuts are California’s largest agricultural product by value
Quercetin and curcumin were incorporated into diet at concentrations of 0, 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 mmol kg−1 to test the efficacy of these natural compounds for either sensitizing larvae to low energy x-ray irradiation or protecting them from the normal adverse side effects of irradiation
This was motivated by the desire to reduce the required sterilization dose and increase the feasibility of using x-ray as an alternative to gamma sources for the irradiation procedure
Summary
Tree nuts are California’s largest agricultural product by value. In 2016, California pistachio and almond orchards covered approximately 1,180,000 acres, yielding 3.3 billion pounds of nuts valued at $6.5 billion. Cultural controls include early harvest and postharvest sanitation (i.e. shaking unharvested and mummy nuts from the trees and removing them from the orchard floor). While these measures have been largely www.nature.com/scientificreports/. Husseiney et al.[2] reported sterilization doses for using gamma irradiation for all life stages, and indicated that adult males require approximately 500 Gy, while larvae require a much lower dose of somewhere between 30 Gy and 60 Gy. The study indicated that for larvae and pupae, mortality rates were high at sterilization doses, indicating poor suitability for these life stages for SIT. Light et al.[11] reported x-ray-based sterilization of adult male at approximately 125 Gy as measured using a NIST calibrated ion probe, suggesting a fundamental difference in the biological response to x-rays vs. gamma
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
