The Optimal Irradiation of Iraqi Dates Fruit by Gamma Radiation for Disinfestation Purposes

Abstract

Fig moth E. cautella, considered the most serious pests infest dates and cause economic losses in the field and warehouses in Iraq which produces between 600-700 thousand tons of dates annually. In order to reduce this damage different pest control methods are used and fragmentation of radiation considered one of the newest and innovative way to control this Moth that attack stored dates. Dates, Zahdi variety artificially infested by eggs of Ephestia cautella .Eggs and larvae of insect were irradiated by gamma radiation with different doses between (106 - 397.5Gy) and then irradiated dates stored at 19C^o, 30 and 40 days for Larvae and Eggs respectively. Fragmentation of irradiation dose of gamma were used, five periods of irradiation with three different times separating each period (5, 10, 15min). Physical and chemical properties of dates were analyzed. Results showed that the fragmentation technique is comparable with continuous irradiation and effective for eliminating the insect and keeping the dates preserved with high quality. A dose of (165Gy) and (198Gy) required for 100% hatching inability of irradiated eggs. For larvae a dose of (397.5Gy) was enough to achieve mortality of (100%), (87.50%) and (83.33) for (5, 10, 15min) separating time between each irradiation period respectively. Physical and chemical characteristics did not changed as a result of irradiation.

Keywords: Ephestia cautella, stored dates, Iraq, fragmentation of irradiation.