The effect of radiation dose rate on the production of eye color mutations in the chalcid Dahlbominus.

The yield of radiation-induced mutations at specific loci in mouse spermatogonia and oicytes has been shown by Russell et al. (1) to vary not only with total dose but with the rate at which it is administered, and a similar effect has since been found by Oster et al. (2) for the induction of recessive lethals in maternal Xchromosomes of Drosophila oScytes. Purdham and McSheehy (3) have shown a dose-rate effect in Drosophila spermatogonia. On the other hand, Tazima (4) has reported that chronic and acute irradiation of silkworm oigonia or spermatogonia failed to produce a significant difference in the frequency of lethal mutations. The present study was initiated to determine whether or not an effect of dose rate on yield of radiation-induced eye color mutations could be found in oSgonial cells of the insect Dahlbominus.