LABORATORY STUDIES OF RADIATION-INDUCED STERILITY ON THE ONION MAGGOT, DELIA ANTIQUA (DIPTERA: ANTHOMYIIDAE)

Abstract

AbstractA dose of 4 krad was the most appropriate for sterilizing pupae of Delia antiqua (Meigen) for field release: adult emergence was not reduced, emerging female flies were sterile, and the eggs produced by normal females which had mated with males irradiated as pupae had a lower hatch than those resulting from matings with normal males. Males irradiated as 6- to 8-day-old pupae were fully competitive under laboratory conditions. Continuous scrutiny of laboratory cultures to detect reduction in adult emergence or reduced competitiveness of males is stressed.