Effects on Reproduction of Gamma Irradiated Laboratory-Reared Pink Bollworms and Their F1 Progeny After Matings with Untreated Laboratory Reared or Native Insects12

Abstract

Unirradiated or gamma-irradiated male laboratory-reared Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) failed to mate as frequently with native females as with laboratory-reared females. The same was true of the F1 male progeny of laboratory-reared females and native males. Unirradiated or irradiated laboratory-reared females mated as often with native males as with laboratory-reared males. The number of progeny produced by laboratory-reared males exposed to 15 krad or higher and paired with untreated females was reduced over 80% as compared to those produced by untreated pairs. Egg hatch from their F1 male or female progeny paired with untreated insects was reduced 68–100%. Fertility of F1 progeny of laboratory-reared males treated with 10 krad and paired with untreated insects was less affected. Also, sterility of F1 females from parents treated at higher doses appeared related to reduced mating as well as to inherited sterility. F1 progeny of laboratory-reared females treated with 5 or 10 krad and paired with native males were nearly as fertile as those from untreated moth pairs. However, no F1 progeny were produced by 20 krad treated females. Irradiation of male or female pink bollworms appeared to have little effect on mating frequency or longevity.