[Action of decamethrin, of its commercial solution, of the excipient and of xylene on the quail biotic potential. Effect on the embryonic genital system].

The following products were tested: 1) the purified new synthetic pyrethroid decamethrin; 2) its commercial solution; 3) the excipient of the commercial solution; and 4) the main constituent of the excipient xylene. Eggs were treated either directly by spraying of the shell with 2% and 0.05% aqueous suspensions of commercial decamethrin, excipient and xylene; or indirectly by repeated ingestion by the parental quails of fed contaminated with the four chemicals. All these constituents significantly acted upon the quail biotic potential; they reduced the hatching rate and the embryonic viability and, on the contrary, increased the fecundation rate and the weight of eggs, chickens and adults. Moreover, they reversed the sex-ratio, what brought about the male birds to have the advantage in number. At last, they acted more specifically on the embryonic genital development. The comparative study of effects of both the pesticide and its excipient showed that the later, and more exactly the xylene, was the main responsible factor.