Abstract
To elucidate the effect of elevated sublethal temperature ($33\pm1^{\circ}C$) on polyamine metabolism and oogenesis, we investigated alterations in the major polyamines and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and arginine decarboxylase (ADC), and ovarian development during the pupal-adult development of the tobacco budworm, Helicoverpa assulta. Ovaries ODC activity under the elevated sublethal temperature ($33\pm1^{\circ}C$) were lower than those of the optimal rearing temperature ($25\pm1^{\circ}C$). whereas ovarian ADC activity was consistently higher than the optimal rearing temperature ($25\pm1^{\circ}C$). When the gonads were exposed to the higher temperature, ovarian putrescine showed somewhat suppressed levels throughout development, indicating a relatively high correlationship with the alteration aspects in ODC or ADC activity under elevated sublethal temperature. A somewhat precocious ovary was observed in an early stage of development at $33\pm1^{\circ}C$, but cellular abnormalities occurred in this ovary. The ovary developed under elevated sublethal temperature was observed the inhibitional effect of polyamine metabolism and the abnormal development of ovariole, which seem to be related to the sterility.