Sterilizing Effects of Trimethylphosphate in Drosophila Melanogaster

Abstract

Trimethylphosphate (TMP) causes aspermia in D. melanogaster males. If larvae are allowed to develop on standard maize-meal medium containing 0·002 M TMP or greater, the eclosing adult males, when placed on uncontaminated medium, exhibit a period of temporary sterility. Between test groups the period of sterility is most variable at the doses of 0·002--0·004 M, but at 0·005 M or greater is approximately 11-12 days. Near-lethal doses of about 20 g/kg by abdominal injection produces a temporary sterility in adults, whereas oral doses up to 0·02 M are ineffective. Oogenesis in females is not affected by doses which cause temporary sterility in males.