Chemosterilization of Potato Tuberworm. 1. Effect of Metepa on the Fertility of Males12

Abstract

Sterilization of male Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) with melepa was achieved by feeding and by exposure to residues deposited on a glass surface. When moths fed on 0.25% metepa solution over a period of 16 hours, uniform treatment of all males was not obtained, but exposure of moths for 1 hour to residual film containing 43.4 µg of metepa/cm⁰² resulted in a high degree of sterility in all treated males. Tests of mating competitiveness indicated that sterile males compete effectively with normal males in inseminating females.