Visible mutation induction in Mormoniella by low frequency ultrasonic energy

Low frequency ultrasonic energy was utilized in an attempt to induce visible mutations in the parasitoid wasp Mormoniella vitripennis (Walker). Ultrasonic exposure at a frequency of 20,000 cycles per second was accomplished in aqueous medium with a commercially obtained energy source. Among the 22,396 progeny of exposed males and females, 63 phenotypically changed wasps were recovered. Three of these changes from exposed males and two from exposed females proved to be genetically transmissible. No transmissible changes were found among 4,739 control progeny. This study demonstrates that low frequency ultrasound may be used as an effective mutagenic agent with this organism, and suggests that it may have applications with other genetic systems.