Selection for mating propensity in irradiated populations of the cotton boll weevil.

Twelve generations of family selection for 10-day post-irradiation male mating propensity resulted in significant divergence between the selected and unselected control populations. Much of this divergence was the result of a decline in the control population which was believed to have been a function of both inbreeding and environmental effects. Significant correlated responses as measured by differences in the two populations for linear time trends of performance on generations of selection were observed for 10-day post-irradiation survival, percent survivors mating at 10 days, and 7-day egg production of unirradiated females.