Biological and Biochemical Alterations Associated with Sterility Induced by Gamma Radiation on Parents and First Generation Males of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Natural Products Research Department, National Center of Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

The efficiency of substerile gamma radiation dose on biological, biochemical analysis of the essential nutritive components (total protein, lipids and carbohydrate concentrations), and the sexual hormones (free testosterone and follicle stimulating hormone) of male Helicoverpa armigera (parent generation P and first generation F1)irradiated as full grown male pupae were studied. The results revealed that there was a significant decrease in emergence percentage of P and F1 generations with increasing radiation dose, which noted that the sex ratio of P and F1 generations were in favour of male. The fecundity and fertility of P and F1 were decreased. However, the sterility percentage of P and F1 generations was increased by increasing the radiation dose which was more pronounced in F1 than in P. A negative significant correlation was found between both of the larval duration and pupation percentage of F1 and the increase of radiation dose. The results indicated a significant decrease in the essential nutritive components (total protein, lipids, and carbohydrate concentrations) and the sexual hormones (free testosterone and follicle stimulating hormone). Furthermore, the reduction was more in F1 than in P males. In general, it was obvious that the substerile gamma radiation doses enhanced an inherited sterility in H. armigera. Therefore, it could be concluded that inherited sterility of H. armigera may contribute to reduction of insecticides application or may integrate with other safe control methods in controlling H. armigera.

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