Influence of low doses and two different doses of gamma radiation for the disinfestation of beans Vigna unguiculata from immature stages of Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabr.)

The aim of this work was to determine the disinfestation dose (lethal dose) of gamma radiation on immature stages of Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabr.) in beans. Grains of beans, Vigna unguiculata L. were left to be infested for 15 days followed by irradiation with doses of 0 (control), 25, 50, 75 and 100 Gy from 60Co source, type Gammabeam-650, and another, Gammacell-220, with dose rate of 55 and 1418 Gy/h, respectively. After irradiation, the experiments were kept at room temperature of 25±3 degC and relative humidity of 60±5% for adult emergence. The results showed that lethal doses were 100 Gy and 25 Gy respectively for immature stages of insects irradiated with dose rates of 55 Gy/h and 1.418 Gy/h gamma irradiation