Effect of gamma radiation on digestive enzymes of Oriental fruit fly, Dacus dorsalis Hendel

The activity of some important digestive enzymes in the various regions of the alimentary canal was studied in normal as well as irradiated adults of Oriental fruit fly Dacus dorsalis. There was no significant difference in the activity of amylase, invertase, lactase, maltase and protease in foregut and hindgut regions, between control and 10 Krad treated insects except in the case of lactase which sharply declined in the foregut of the irradiated flies. When radiation dose was increased to 15 and 20 Krad the enzyme activity in all the regions of the gut was considerably reduced. Reduction of the activity in 20 Krad dose, 10 days after treatment, was comparatively higher than any other treatment. (author)