Effects of X‐ray irradiation on the fitness of the established invasive pest fall armyworm <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>
Shan Jiang, Limei He, Wei He, Hui‐Yuan Zhao, Xianming Yang, Xue Yang, Kongming Wu
Abstract
Abstract BACKGROUND Spodoptera frugiperda has spread to Africa, Asia, and Oceania, posing a serious threat to global agriculture. We estimated the appropriate dose of X‐ray sterilization for S. frugiperda using an X‐ray irradiation instrument to investigate environmentally acceptable control techniques, laying the framework for future applications of sterile insect technology (SIT) to manage the pest environmentally‐friendly. RESULTS This study is the first to investigate the effects of X‐ray irradiation on the growth, development, survival, reproduction, and flight of S. frugiperda . The results showed that irradiation with 50–400 Gy had no significant effect on pupal eclosion, but females were more sensitive than males in terms of reproductive parameters, especially when doses of radiation were > 350 Gy. After irradiation with a sub‐sterilizing dose of 250 Gy, the parental sterility rate was > 85%, and the sterility traits could be passed on to their offspring, resulting in a continuous decrease in the population of F 1 and F 2 generations. CONCLUSION Our laboratory experiments theoretically confirmed the feasibility of SIT for controlling S. frugiperda in the field using X‐ray radiation. This study provides a theoretical basis for future regional pest management strategies. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.