The Reproducing Capacity of Gamma Irradiated Adults of Trogoderma Versicolor (Creutz)

Abstract

Male and female, Trogoderma versicolor (Creutz.) were irradiated by gamma radiation as newly emerged adults (12-24 hrs. after emergence). Males required higher doses than females to be sterilized and the reproductive inability increased with increasing dose. Doses of 210 and 80 Gray were sufficient to induce almost complete sterility for males and females, respectively. Egg production per female was highest in crosses involving irradiated males as compared with eggs produced from irradiated females at any dose level (from 20 to 210 Gray). The distortion of sex ratio produced from a treated male parent was slightly in favour of males. Male progeny of treated P] males showed a greater reduction in fertility than female progeny, but this fertility was lowest in progeny of cross F] male x Fi female. Male progeny produced from irradiated males exhibited levels of sterility more than their irradiated male parents.