Evaluating the use of nuclear techniques for colonization and production of Trichogramma chilonis in combination with releasing irradiated moths for control of cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera

Abstract

Gamma radiation was tested as a means of increasing production of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma chilonis Ishii by improving the suitability of host eggs and by stimulating reproduction of the parasitoid females. For manipulation of the host eggs’ suitability, radiation was used to either (a) produce developmentally-inactivated (DI) eggs incapable of hatching, or (b) to produce F1 sterile host eggs. For treatment of the parasitoid females with the intent of stimulating reproduction, parasitoid pupae were exposed to very low dose radiation (250 mGray). For tests on host suitability using radiation-induced DI host eggs, newly-laid (<8 h old) host eggs (Helicoverpa armigera Hubner) were exposed to 300 Gy of 60Co gamma radiation. For tests of F1 sterile host eggs, H. armigera moths were mated with individuals exposed to 250 Gy as pupae. Tests were performed with eggs resulting from all possibilities of normal (N) and sterile (S) ♀ × ♂ matings. Both types of DI host eggs (irradiated or sterile), along with untreated host eggs (controls), were exposed to T. chilonis females, using the following host egg-to-parasitoid ratios: 1:10, 1:30, 1:60 and 1:90. Developmentally-inactivated host eggs exposed to 300 Gy did not differ in suitability from normal host eggs at a 1:10 parasitoid–host ratio, but were significantly more suitable at the higher host–parasitoid ratios. F1 sterile eggs were not significantly different in suitability from normal eggs at a 1:10 host–parasitoid ratio but were marginally better at the higher host–parasitoid ratios. In tests performed using T. chilonis females exposed to low-dose radiation (250 mGy), no effects were observed when cohorts of 5 T. chilonis females were provided with only 50 host eggs, but when more hosts were provided (ratios of 1:30, 1:60 and 1:90), significantly higher rates of parasitization were noted for the parasitoids exposed to low-dose radiation. This effect prevailed using both normal host eggs and DI host eggs exposed to 300 Gy. The stimulatory effect also was noted when F1 sterile host eggs were provided to the irradiated T. chilonis females. These results suggest that release of T. chilonis irradiated with 250 mGy may complement release of irradiated H. armigera moths, which produce sterile F1 eggs that can serve as supplemental hosts in the field and thereby enhance the pest management system.