Histological Studies on Testes in Progeny of Gamma Irradiated Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) Moth among Three Successive Generations

Full-grown male and female pupae of cotton leaf worm Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) were gamma irradiated with the sub sterilizing dose of 125 Gy. The resulting P1 treated adults were crossed with the untreated opposite sex. All possible mating combinations of the resulting F1 adults and the untreated adult moths were carried out in order to obtain F2 generation. The histological observations on the testes of F1 males resulting from irradiated parental males or females showed moderate effect on the structure of testis contents. Most of sperm bundles showed retardation of spermatogenesis and less number of sperm bundles were found. The effects on testes of F2 and F3 males resulting from all possible crosses of F1 adults showed morphological abnormalities included shrinkage of testes contents, vacuolisation and dispersion of sperm bundles. Many spermatogonia and spermatocytes failed to develop to the next stages which lead to appearance of large vacuoles among the septum, or retardation in sperm maturation