Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T01:32:21.742Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

SOME EFFECTS OF PERMETHRIN ON THE BEHAVIOR OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER MEIGEN (DIPTERA: DROSOPHILIDAE)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

S.F.H. Threlkeld
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4K1

Abstract

Avoidance of four strains of Drosophila melanogaster to the pyrethroid insecticide permethrin was studied. All strains showed concentration-dependent avoidance, with avoidance detected at levels as low as 1 ppm. Avoidance was not dependent on the insect acquiring a lethal dose. Some correlation appeared to exist between higher locomotor activity and lower sensitivity to permethrin. The most sensitive strain had the lowest activity. Two of the four strains studied were chosen as permethrin-sensitive mutants following mutagenesis. These two strains had activity levels significantly lower than the original strain from which they were obtained, raising the question as to whether the increased sensitivity to permethrin following mutagenesis reflects an alteration in the target site of permethrin, a neuroactive insecticide.

Résumé

L’évitement de l’insecticide pyrethroïde, permethrin, par quatre souches de Drosophila melanogaster a fait l’objet de cette étude. Pour chacune des souches étudiées, l’évitement était fonction de la concentration et on a détecté un évitement pour des niveaux aussi faibles que 1 ppm. L’évitement n’était pas relié à l’atteinte d’une dose létale par l’insecte. Il semble y avoir corrélation entre une activité locomotrice élevée et un faible évitement du permethrin. La souche la plus sensible était la moins active. Après mutagénèse, deux des quatre souches étudiées ont été choisies comme mutants sensibles au permethrin. Ces deux souches étaient significativement moins actives que la souche originale de laquelle elles ont été obtenues. Ceci soulève la question à savoir si une sensibilité accrue au permethrin, obtenue après mutagénèse, reflète une altération du site cible du permethrin, un insecticide neuro-actif.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1986

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baker, R.J., and Nelder, J.A., 1978. The GLIM system, release 3; generalized linear interaction modelling. Numerical Algorithm Group, Oxford, England.Google Scholar
Benzer, S. 1967. Behavioural mutants of Drosophila isolated by counter current distribution. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 58: 11121119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benzer, S. 1973. Genetic dissection of behaviour. Sci. Am. 229(6): 2437.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gould, F. 1984. Role of behaviour in the evolution of insect adaptation to insecticides and resistant host plants. Bull. ent. Soc. Am. 30–4: 3441.Google Scholar
Lewis, E.G., and Bacher, F.. 1968. Drosophila Information Service 43: 193.Google Scholar
Lindsley, D.L., and Grell, E.H.. 1968. Genetic variations of Drosophila melanogaster. Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Lockwood, J.A., Sparks, T.C., and Strong, R.N.. 1984. Evolution of insect resistance to insecticides: a reevaluation of the roles of physiology and behaviour. Bull. ent. Soc. Am. 30–4: 4151.Google Scholar
Scott, J.G., and Georghiou, G.P.. 1985. Rapid development of high-level permethrin resistance in a field-collected strain of the house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) under laboratory selection. J. econ. Ent. 78: 316319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sokal, R.S., and Rohlf, F.J.. 1969. Biometry. W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco.Google Scholar
Threlkeld, S.F.H. 1986. Behavioural responses in Drosophla melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae) associated with permethrin and Ectiban®. Proc. Can. Pest. Management Soc. In press.Google Scholar
Vijnerberg, H.P.M., van der Zaln, J.M., and van der Bercken, J.. 1982. Similar mode of action of pyrethroids and DDT on sodium channel gating in myelinated nerves. Nature (Lond.) 295: 601603.CrossRefGoogle Scholar