Comparison of Three Sterilization Procedures on the Quality of the Male Boll Weevil123

Irradiation (10 krads in a nitrogen atmosphere) plus dipping in 0.1% diflubenzuron in acetone of 6-day-old Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman was selected over fumigation plus dipping of adults and fractionated irradiation of pupae as the method of choice for sterilization for production of quality weevils. The results for this method were: sterility 98.5% mortality 34.5% at 7 days posttreatment; mating with sperm transfer, 78.5% and 59.6%, of normal at 3 and 7 days posttreatment, respectively; and pheromone production of 0.4 µg/adult/day. Fumigation plus pentluron produced comparable sterile males, but irradiation was more convenient and safer.