Philippine Journal of Science
149 (S1): 33-41, Special Issue on Nuclear S&T
ISSN 0031 – 7683
Date Received: 19 Jun 2019

 

Pupal Eye Color of Peach Fruit Fly Bactrocera zonata
(Saunders) as Reference Guide for Radiation Sterilization

 

Sotero S. Resilva*, Preeaduth Sookar, and Glenda B. Obra

 

1Agriculture Research Section, Atomic Research Division
Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, Department of Science and Technology
Commonwealth Ave., Diliman, Quezon City Philippines
2Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security
Entomology Division, Reduit, Mauritius

 

*Corresponding author: ssresilva@yahoo.com

 

ABSTRACT

The pupal eye color of Peach fruit fly Bactrocra zonata (Saunders) was documented at different holding temperatures. When holding mature pupae samples at 19, 25 (standard holding temperature), 28, and 22–34 ºC (natural environment), the development of pupae were 18–19, 9, 7, and 8 d, respectively. Holding pupae at lower temperature delays pupal development and slows down the progression of eye color changes. This is very important in manipulating pupal development, especially when problems occur during sterile insect technique (SIT) operations. The recommended timing of pupal irradiation for B. zonata at 25 ºC is at 2 d before adult emergence, where the pupae are 9 d old and the eye color is dark reddish-brown. Using eye color as a reference guide for irradiation of pupae, the optimum age when held at 19, 28, and 22–34 ºC (natural environment) was 18–19, 7, and 8 d old, respectively. Documented and a close-up photograph of pupal eye color was used as a reference guide to determine the best time for the irradiation of pupae in an SIT program for B. zonata.

 

[Download]
Resilva S et al. 2020. Pupal Eye Color of Peach Fruit Fly Bactrocera zonata (Saunders)
as Reference Guide for Radiation Sterilization. Philipp J Sci 149(S1): 33–41.
https://doi.org/10.56899/149.S1.05