DOSE FRACTIONATION: EFFECTS ON LONGEVITY, MATING CAPACITY, AND STERILITY OF IRRADIATED MALES OF THE INDIAN MEAL MOTH, PLODIA INTERPUNCTELLA (LEPIDOPTERA: PHYCITIDAE)

Abstract

AbstractAdult males of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), were irradiated with doses of 25 or 35 krad or various equal fractions thereof spaced over a period of 1 to 3 days. Longevity of males was not decreased by any of the irradiation treatments, but it was significantly increased by fractionation when the second fraction was administered the second day. The mating ability of males with single females, was not significantly affected by irradiation or fractionation of irradiation doses. The percentage of sterile pairs was dependent both on the dose and on the pattern of fractionation. The lowest percentages of sterility at both doses occurred in the treatments that had three equal fractions. The numbers of progeny produced by fertile pairs were also correlated with both dose and pattern of fractionation. Significantly more progeny were produced by males treated with some of the fractionated doses than by males treated with a single dose of 25 krad. No differences in number of progeny occurred at 35 krad.