Mating Competitiveness in the Laboratory of Irradiated Males and Females of Ephestia Cautella
Abstract
Males or females of the almond moth, Ephestia cautella (Walker), a serious pest of stored commodities, were irradiated (I) with either 35 krad (a partially sterilizing dose) or 50 krad (a sterilizing dose) and combined with pairs of untreated (U) adults at I:U ratios of 1, 5, 10, 15, or 25. Doses of 35 and 50 krad reduced egg hatch to 9.0 and 0%, respectively, when the ratio was 25 I males per U pair; egg hatch was 1.6 (35 krad) and 2.6% (50 krad) when the ratio was 25 I females per U pair. Both males and females were slightly less competitive after treatment with 35 krad than after treatment with 50 krad (based on percentage egg hatch). Treated females were more competitive at both doses than treated males; treated females were competitive at all release ratios. The I males were competitive with U males except at the lowest ratio. Thus, irradiated adults were judged sufficiently competitive for field trials to be justified.Downloads
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