ROLE OF SILYMARIN AS ANTIOXIDANT ON SOME BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF NORMAL AND IRRADIATED PUPAE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT FLY, CERATITIS CAPITATA (WIED.)

The present study aims to investigate the biological effects of silymarin as an antioxidant on the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, at different concentrations (40, 60, 80, 100 mg/0.5 kg larval medium). Also, larval and pupal duration, percent adult emergence, sex ratio, weight and size of pupae, as compared to the control group, were studied.The results indicated that larval and pupal durations were reduced at 60 mg silymarin/0.5 kg larval media as compared to the control.The concentrations 40, 60 and 80 mg silymarin/0.5 kg larval media were selected and the produced pupae from these different larval media were irradiated with the sterilizing gamma dose (90 Gy) and the sub-sterilizing gamma dose (70 Gy) to study their effects on female fecundity, male fertility, survival, competitiveness values and also their effects on the mating ability and ability of males to inseminate females.The data obtained revealed that silymarin administration and/or gamma irradiation caused significant decrease in female egg production at all concentrations examined as compared to the control group. Male fertility was not affected when silymarin was applied alone but significant decrease was observed when pupae were treated with radiation alone or with silymarin at all concentrations and both gamma doses. Survival was not affected for both sexes with silymarin and/or gamma irradiation.Moreover, data obtained revealed significant effect in male competitiveness values at 40 and 80 mg silymarin concentrations and the gamma sterilizing dose (90 Gy). However, mating ability and ability to inseminate females were not affected with silymarin and/or gamma irradiation as compared to the control