Potential use of sterile insect technique (SIT) against the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella

Abstract

Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) is one of the most important stored products pests in the world. In Bangladesh, annual losses to different stored commodities occurs more than 20%. In this research, an environmentally safe & species specific method i.e. Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) was applied as a part of integrated pest management approach. This experiment was done by implementing gamma irradiation (Cobalt-60) for sterilization of Indian meal moth to suppress the reproductive potential of the moth. The effects were more significant in F1 early progeny than parental generation because it was possible to suppress the egg production, hatchability & finally adult emergence successfully in F1 generation. The dose of radiation required to prevent fecundity of Plodia interpunctella from irradiated adults was 400 Gy in parental generation (P), whereas it was 300Gy & 400Gy in F1 generation in the present study. The hatchability would be prevented by the cross schedule of treated male with treated female (TM x TF). 400 Gy dose would be sufficient to control the hatchability of Indian meal moth both in P & F1 generation. Higher doses of radiation had a significant effect on adult emergence in F1 early progeny of the moth. Surprisingly, the number was zero for the cross schedule of normal female with treated male (NF x TM) & treated male with treated female (TM x TF) at all the selected doses except 50Gy in F1 early progeny in the present study. The 300Gy & 400Gy doses used in the present experiment would be sufficient to control the population of Indian meal moth.