CHANGES IN PINK-BOLLWORM (LEPIDOPTERA, GELECHIIDAE) SOOTY MUTANT UNDER ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE MASS-REARING METHODOLOGY

The use of a genetic marker in pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), moths could provide a means of identifying the F-1 progen y of crosses between released moths as well as crosses between release d and native moths. The ability to identify F-1 progeny of these cross es would help program managers make decisions about release rates and locations of sterile moths. A sooty strain of pink bollworm obtained f rom ARS was introduced into the Animal Plant and Health Inspection Ser vice (APHIS) pink bollworm rearing facility. We monitored changes in t he sooty strain to APHIS rearing methodology over nine generations. Th e sooty strain had significantly lower rates of female fecundity, egg hatch, and pupal yield per rearing container than two established APHI S strains. However, as the season progressed, the sooty strain showed numerical gains in fecundity, hatch, and yields per container, indicat ing that the sooty strain was adapting to the APHIS rearing system (or conditions). As the sooty strain adapted to the APHIS rearing regime, a significant increase in heterozygous individuals was noted. Field c age and field test results showed no significant difference between th e two strains in female mating success or male response to pheromone t raps. Furthermore, radiation sterilization caused a significant reduct ion in male response to pheromone traps when compared with males that had not been irradiated in both sooty and APHIS strains.