Reproductive Potential and Embryonic Lethality of The Blowfly, Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann 1819)Influenced by Gamma Radiation

Abstract

Chrysomya albiceps play a major role as a mechanical vector for plentiful pathogens to humans and animals such as bacteria, viruses, and helminths, as well as causing myiasis in animals. The present study aimed at investigating the effect of gamma radiation on the reproductive potential and embryonic lethality of C. albiceps. Results showed that the number of eggs laid by C. albiceps females resulted from pupae irradiated with different doses of gamma radiation decreased as the dose increased. Also, the non-hatching eggs %was found to be dose-dependent i.e., increased as the dose of the gamma irradiation used increased.The highest reduction in the number of eggs occurred at high doses (10 and 15 Gy) when irradiated females were crossed with non-irradiated males. Non-hatching egg % increased to record 76.6 and 66.8 at 15 and 10 Gy when irradiated females crossed with irradiated males. Gamma radiation resulted in a progressive increase in the sterility % of C. albiceps females as compared with the untreated group. Complete sterility (100.0%) was attained by 20 Gy for all groups. The sterility index was recorded at 96.3% when irradiated females crossed with non-irradiated males.In addition, gamma radiation-induced a progressive increase in egg lethality giving an estimated LD 50 value of 9.3598 Gy when non-irradiated females mated with irradiated males, compared with 10.6257 Gy for egg-lethality laid by irradiated females mated with non-irradiated males. However, the LD 50 value was 3.603 Gy when both males and females were irradiated, respectively. Generally, C. albiceps females were more radiosensitive than their male counterparts.