The Influence of Rearing Diet Media on Sensitivity to Sterilization by Gamma Radiation in the Female and Male Flour Beetle, Tribolium confusum (J. du Val.) (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae)

Authors: Aydın Süzü TUNÇBİLEK, S. Zühal ARTAN

Abstract: Males and females of the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum (J. du Val.) reared on different flours were substerilized by exposure to 10, 20, 40 and 60 Gy of gamma radiation. Irradiated adults were crossed with unirradiated beetles of the opposite sex (1:1). All experiments were carried out in darkened incubators and maintained at 27±0.5_0C and 70±5 % relative humidity. Sterility of females and males was increased with elevated radiation doses. There were no significant differences between SD50 values for females and males reared on wheat, barley and maize flours, but there were great differences SD99.9 values for females and males. Beetles reared on barley flour were more sensitive to the sterilization effect of gamma radiation, whereas beetles reared on wheat flour were more resistant to gamma radiation.

Keywords: Tribolium confusum, gamma radiation, sterility, SD_{50}, SD_{99.9}