Effect of substerilization doses of radiation on the biology of diamondback moth

The pupae of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, were exposed to four substerilizing doses (100, 150, 200 and 250 Gy) of gamma radiation. The fecundity, sterility and progeny development of parental crosses and certain F1 backcrosses (progeny of irradiated males) were studied in the laboratory. All doses caused sterility in the parental crosses and F1 backcrosses. Doses above 20 Gy greatly affected the development of larvae in parental crosses of irradiated females with normal males and of irradiated males with irradiated females, as no pupation was observed. The study indicated that a dose between 150 and 200 Gy would be suitable for inherited sterility of the diamondback moth. However, the backcross of progeny from irradiated males showed no significant increase in inheritance of deleterious effects. (author). 10 refs, 7 tabs