ABSTRACT
This work aimed to use gamma radiation as an alternative method for the control of grain plagues in stored products and to study the fragment effect of dose of gamma radiation in Sitophilus oryzae (L.), Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst.). Ten adults of each species were separated in glass tubes, with six repetitions, a total of 60 insects for each treatment. For the irradiation of the insects, Cobalt-60 font Gammabeam 650 type (CENA-USP) was used, which activity was 2605x10 10Bq, under a used dose rate of 1.165 kGy/h. The doses used were 3.0 kGy (continuous and fragment doses), and 5.0 kGy (fragment dose). In accordance to the results obtained, it was observed that S. oryzae was the most radiosensitive, in relation to the other species and the mortality of species R. dominica and T. castaneum was equivalent for all the applied doses. Induced mortality for the continuous dose of 3.0 kGy did not differ between the species, whereas in fragment doses S. oryzae suffered high mortality and it was differentiated from the other species, because its longevity was drastically affected by the radiation.
KEY WORDS:
Coleoptera; control; pests; grain; gamma radiation.
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