EFFECTS OF IRRADIATION ON PHENOLOXIDASE LEVELS IN CODLING MOTH (LEPIDOPTERA, TORTRICIDAE) LARVAE

Laboratory trials were conducted to determine if changes in phenoloxid ase, a common hemolymph component in insects, could be detected in cod ling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.). The 5 instars of codling moth were ir radiated at doses of 0, 100, 300, 600, and 900 Cy and phenoloxidase le vels were monitored at 0, 2, 4 and 6 d after treatment. The melanizati on method, protein electrophoresis, dot blot, and enzyme activity anal yses were performed to determine phenoloxidase levels. No significant changes in the protein levels, enzymatic activity, or melanization rat es in irradiated codling moth lan ae were found.,Although the melaniza tion method may be adequate for determining whether lan ne of the Cari bbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (L.), were irradiated, it is not applicable to codling moth.