The Effect of γ-Ray Irradiation on the Fitness in Inbred Line of Japanese Quail
1973 Volume 10 Issue 6 Pages 226-231
Details
1973 Volume 10 Issue 6 Pages 226-231
Inbred Japanese quail were used to study the effect of γ-ray irradiation on the fitness of the birds. The dose of 150R (5R/min.), non-detrimental to reproductive organs, was administered to the female. Irradiated females were mated to non-irradiated full-sib males on the subsequent day.
The traits investigated for 28 days starting from 4 days after irradiation were as follow: hen-day egg production, percentage of hatching eggs, fertility, hatchability, viability to 4 weeks. Also fitness index, i.e., product of these five traits by multiplication, was examined.
1) The application of γ-rays on inbred females (F _??_ 42)improved fertility substantially and thus increased the fitness index.
2) The effect of irradiation on the fitness in the inbred line was different among families. Especially, there was a tendency of increase in the effect of irradiation on the families which showed severe inbreeding depression.
3) It is suggested that the fitness may be increased by heterozygosity due to γ-rayinduced polygenic mutations.
