Abstract
Unmated 24-h-old ♂ Plodia interpunctella (Hubner) were irradiated with doses of 0, 25, 35 or 50 krad-γ-irradiation and mated successively each day to virgin females. Sterilized males (50 krad) regained fertility after 3 or more successive matings, and the substerilized males (25 and 35 krad) had a marked increase in fecundity after several matings. A comparison between irradiated males mated 5 times successively and irradiated males mated only once, at 5 days posteclosion, indicated that recovery of fertility occurred because new sperm were produced by spermatogonial cells and not because irradiation-damaged spermatozoa were selectively eliminated. This recovery of fertility should have little effect on the sterile-male release technique because in the field males normally mate only once or twice and because the few progeny that could be produced, should recovery occur, would probably be sterile.
Published Version
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