Suppression of the reproductive potential of the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus arabicus Attiah by gamma irradiation

• Published in: Zeitschrift für Pflanzenkrankheiten und Pflanzenschutz (1970) 1972-04, Vol.79 (4), p.223-226
• Main Authors: Wakid, A. M., Elbadry, E. A., Elaal, M. A. Abd
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Egg fertility; Female animals; Female fertility; Gamma rays; Male animals; Male fertility; Mating behavior; Mites; Reproductive sterilization; Spiders
• ISSN: 0340-8159; 2364-9968

The present study deals with the effect of the sterilizing dose of the female and the partial sterilizing dose of the male (30 Krad) of gamma radiation on the mating competitiveness and fertility of the spider mite Tetranychus arabicus Attiah. The effect of introduction of irradiated males and/or females, to untreated natural population, at different ratios, on egg viability was investigated. The results indicated that partially sterile males were able to compete readily with normal ones. Fertility was reduced to 44 % when partially sterile males were added to the normal mite population at a ratio of 1:1:1:0 (normal males : normal females : irradiated males : irradiated females). However the release of sterile females only into the normal population did not give rise to effective suppression of the reproductive potential of the normal females. On the other hand, appreciative decrease in the fertility of T. arabicus (22 %) was demonstrated when both irradiated males and females were introduced to the natural population at the ratio of 5:5:1:1 (irradiated males : irradiated females : untreated females : untreated males).