Inherited F1 Sterility in the Male Pink Bollworm: Reduction of Eupyrene Sperm Bundles in the Testis and Duplex2

Abstract

The testis and duplex region of the ejaculatory duct of male Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) were examined for differences in the number and morphology of eupyrene and apyrene sperm bundles in sons of irradiated (F1 sons) or untreated (control) males. The testis of F1 and control males contained large numbers of apyrene sperm bundles, and both kinds of males had normal amounts of loose apyrene sperm in the duplex. Similarly, the testes of F1 and control males contained many immature eupyrene sperm bundles. However, in control males, these bundles matured, passed out of the testis, and were stored as bundles in the duplex. In F1 males, significantly fewer eupyrene bundles matured in the testis and many of the F1 males had no eupyrene sperm bundles in the duplex. Irradiation of P1 males affects spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis in F1 males so that the majority of eupyrene sperm do not descend into the duplex to become available for insemination.