Gamma radiation consequences on desert locust Schistocerca gregaria (Forsk.) digestive system

Schistocera gregaria (Forsk.) (Orthoptera, Acrididae) remains a major insect pest in Africa, more particularly in the Sahelian zone. Present control methods are only partially efficient. In a previous study, we tested the potentiality of a sterile insect technique (SIT). Males of S. gregaria appeared to be much radiosensitive as already a dose of 3 Gy limited their survival. Gamma-radiations are known to damages the epithelial tissue of midgut, which affects the alimentation in insects. In this work, we show how digestive system of S. gregaria males is affected when submitted to a dose of 4 gamma rays. Nutrition is affected as males stop feeding soon after irradiation and progressively lose weight. Histological analyses on the midgut showed important epithelium damages. The regenerative cells by which the epithelial cells are replaced were damaged on the first days following irradiation. Consequently, regenerative cells are unable to divide and replace the normal loss of midgut cell. After nine days, the entire midgut epithelium was destroyed and only longitudinal muscles layer remained intact. This indicates that low radiation doses should be used if SIT will be applied.