Corn Earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Influence of Irradiation and Mating History on the Mating Propensity of Females

Abstract

Laboratory-strain Heliothis zea (Boddie) females that were mated with untreated males, irradiated (10 krad) males, or male progeny from irradiated (10 krad) males and then held for 24 or 48 h were compared for their ability to lure males into traps or to attract and mate with a male. The mating propensity of females that had been mated with either untreated or irradiated males and held for 24 h was less than the mating propensity of virgin females. Females of the same group that were held for 48 h after mating were as attractive to males as were virgin females. The mating propensity of females mated with male progeny of irradiated males was not significantly different from the mating propensity of virgin females. The percentage eupyrene sperm found in the spermatheca of females that had mated with male progeny of irradiated males were significantly lower than the percentage eupyrene sperm found in the spermatheca of females that had mated with untreated or irradiated males.