Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) is a serious pest of chrysanthemum and other greenhouse crops around the world. Larvae feed within the leaves of the host plants and create serpentine mines. The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) has been successfully used against some Diptera species in field situations, and it has been most effective against isolated population (e.g., on islands, etc.). Therefore, SIT against pest populations in greenhouses has a high potential for success. The objectives of this study were to determine the optimum gamma-irradiation dosage required for the sterilization of L. trifolii, and to determine the quality (percent emergence, flight ability, longevity, copulatory success, and sperm transfer) of irradiated males compared with that of the unirradiated (normal) males. We found that sterility (<1.2 mines, and <1 adult per female) was achieved with a doze of 155 Gy for both sexes. The copulatory success and sperm transfer of sterile males were not significantly different from that of the normal males. Moreover, the longevity, percent emergence and flight ability of irradiated males were similar to that of normal males. Our study indicates that the sterilization of L. trifolii flies is feasible and that sterile males are of high quality and competitive with normal males. Based on these data, we are continuing research on the use of SIT against L. trifolii populations in greenhouses.
Species 1: Diptera Agromyzidae Liriomyza trifolii (serpentine leafminer)
Keywords: SIT, Greenhouse
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA