Design, construction, and dosimetry of an x-ray system for SIT, and testing for sterility of light brown apple moth

An irradiation system utilizing soft x-rays for SIT was developed and tested by sterilizing light brown apple moth. Using multiple x-ray tubes and minimizing source to insect distance allowed for the use of much lower x-ray energies than equipment that is currently available. In addition, the multiple tube design allows for a more uniform dose distribution within the container than has been accomplished using single point sources. The reduced x-ray energy requirement allows for the use of relatively inexpensive commercially available x-ray sources, making the system more economical than traditional methods.