A species sensitivity distribution-derived generic dose for the phytosanitary irradiation of Pseudococcidae.

Phytosanitary irradiation is an attractive treatment option for fresh fruits and vegetables, as it is effective, leaves no chemical residues, and in most cases results in fewer impacts to commodity quality than other treatment types such as heat-based treatments or methyl bromide fumigation. The dose of irradiation needed to mitigate a specific pest species is determined on the basis of a substantial body of research, reviewed, and approved by a national plant protection organization. Generic doses, used to treat several related species under a single dose, have been developed and approved for use on several key pest groups, including the insect families Tephritidae and Tortricidae. The mealybugs (Pseudococcidae) represent a pest group that is frequently encountered on fresh fruits and vegetables and for which there is no approved generic dose. In this work, the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) approach is utilized to evaluate the portion of Pseudococcidae expected to be controlled at a generic dose of 250 Gy. The findings suggest that the support for a 250 Gy generic dose for Pseudococcidae is strong, comparing favorably with the approved generic doses for other taxa when an SSD-based intercomparison is used.