Genetic analysis of a Mythimna separate (Walker) body color mutant
Author of the article:LI Dong ZHANG Yun-Hui LI Xiang-Rui CHENG Deng-Fa
Author's Workplace：Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Key Words：Mythimna separata, body color mutant, genetic analysis
Abstract： [Objectives] Body color mutants of Mythimna separate (Walker) were found in a laboratory colony and in the wild and their phenotypes observed. [Methods] A hybridization experiment was used to analyze the genetic basis of this mutation. [Results] Compared with normal moths, the adult body of mutants, especially the abdomen and wings, were darker in color. There were no obvious differences in the appearance of eggs, larvae and early pupae, but immediately before eclosion, mutant pupae were darker in color than normal pupae. The results of the hybridization experiment show that the proportion of the normal type in F1 progeny of reciprocal crosses between normal and mutant parents was 100%, whereas the ratio of F2 segregation between normal and mutant types was 3.24︰1. The ratio in backcrosses was 1.18︰1. In addition, progenies of self-crossed F2 mutants were exclusively of mutant type. [Conclusion] The results of the hybridization experiment are consistent with Mendelian, monogenic autosomal recessive inheritance. These results shed light on the molecular mechanism determining moth body color differentiation at both the genetic and environmental levels and contribute to the theoretical basis for the prediction and integrated management of M. separata.