The predicted
doses to achieve 100% mortality were 83.8, 67.0, and
45.6 Gy for melon fly, oriental fruit fly, and Mediterranean
fruit fly, respectively. Melon flies and oriental fruit
flies used in the tests were wild strains, and Mediterranean
fruit flies were the ‘‘Maui med 2000’’ laboratory
strain.
Analysis also showed that wild and laboratory strains
of melon fly were not significantly different in their
tolerance of irradiation (F ¼ 1:8; df ¼ 1; 2; P ¼ 0:18)
suggesting these strains could be used interchangeably in
irradiation tests. Melon fly was significantly more
tolerant of irradiation when treated in fruit compared
with diet (F ¼ 23:2; df ¼ 1; 2; P ¼ 0:001), indicating
that irradiation tests should always be conducted using
insects in the host commodity