The effect of cobalt 60 gamma rays on the biology of the eye gnat Hippelates Pusio Loew / by Hollis Mitchell Flint.

Abstract

C33romosames of H. pusio^2 Recent developments with compounds called chemicaJ. sterilants have overshadowed the use of radiation for inducing sterility in insects. But the use of radiation to sterilize insects may have advaxita^es over the use of chemicals (Von Borstel, I96O) in that radiation doses can be controlled very acctirately, affects only the desired insect si)ecies, and does not cause dangerous contamination. Radiation sterilization programs need not be concerned with insect resistance, residue hazards, axid detrimental effects on fish and wildlife. Response to radiation in insects may be immediate as with cessation of growth (Grosch, 195^) or apparent after longer periods such as shortening of the life span, reduction of fertility and fecimdity, and failure to react normally to the environment. Subtle changes occur in the physiology and genetic transfer mechanism in the irradiated insect. Research employing radiation effects have followed two main trends. These include application of radiation to insect control and fundamental studies in genetics and cytology. The numbers of species used in all radiation studies have been relatively few. The author has been unable to find any literattire on the effects of radiation on H. pusio. The objective of this study is to provide basic biological information concerning the effects of radiation on the eye gnat. The studies reported here deal specifically with: (l) the sterilizing dose for each sex treated in both the pupal and the adult sta^e, (2) the effects of the sterilizing dose on male competitiveness when treated in the pupal and the adult stage, (3) the lethal effects of radiation on the stages of the life cycle, and {h) the determination of the morphological and cytological effects of gamma radiation on the reproductive organs.