?IRRADIATION OF PINK BOLLWORM LARVAE BY Co-60 AND Cs-137 SOURCES AND THEIR EFFECTS ON VIABILITY, REPRODUCTIVITY AND STERILITY OF SUBSEQUENT PI AND FIPROGENY
Keywords:
Gamma iradiation, Pink bollworm larave, Radiation sources, Effect on PI andFI progeny.Abstract
The irradiation of mature (cut out) larvae at 35 Gy from Co-60 and Cs-137 resulted in reduced and delayed
pupation. Co-60 caused significantly more lethality than Cs-137. The fecundity of the females both PI and FIemerging
from irradiated mature larvae was drastically reduced for Co-60 as well as for Cs-137 treatment. The female moths were
comparatively more prone to gamma radiation damage than the males. Larval survival and adult emergence were dose
dependent following irradiation of mature pink bollworm larvae at40-65 Gy from Cs-137 alone. The fecundity of mature
PI and FI progeny and percent of males in FI generation reduced with the increased doses. Complete sterility was
recorded in crosses treated male x treated female (fMxTF) at all doses. The effect oflarval irradiation on mature progeny
of F, adults was also reduced in crosses involving either FI males or FI females. The doses tested for mature larvae were
too high and are not suitable for the control of pink bollworm through FI sterility.
