Fifty Years of Radiation Biology in Entomology: Lessons Learned from IDIDAS

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of the International Database on Insect Disinfestation and Sterilization (IDIDAS: http://www-ididas.iaea.org/ididas/) website is to collect and share information about radiation doses for disinfestation and reproductive sterilization of arthropods and to perform a comparative analysis and quality assurance check on existing data. IDIDAS was developed based on a literature review and analysis of >2,750 references, published during the past five decades. In total, 309 species of arthropods, mostly of economic importance, from 196 genera, 84 families, 9 insect orders, and 2 arachnid orders, have been subjected to irradiation studies for purposes of (1) research, such as sperm precedence determination and parasitoid-host interaction studies, (2) disinfestation for quarantine or phytosanitary purposes or (3) different pest control applications, including the sterile insect technique (SIT) and biological control programs. Sensitivity to radiation among families, and in particular orders, va...