Variability in Response to Toosendanin in a Laboratory Colony of Trichoplusia ni

Laboratory rearing of insects for scientific research ensures a constant supply of insects. However, laboratory colonies may diverge genetically and/or phenotypically from wild populations due to selection pressures in their artificial environment. This study examined how variation in a colony of Tr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Phytoparasitica 2007-03, Vol.35 (2), p.119-122
Main Authors: Cameron, J H, Isman, M B, Upadhyaya, M K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Melia azedarach
Trichoplusia ni
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Summary:Laboratory rearing of insects for scientific research ensures a constant supply of insects. However, laboratory colonies may diverge genetically and/or phenotypically from wild populations due to selection pressures in their artificial environment. This study examined how variation in a colony of Trichoplusia ni influenced reproducibility over time of bioassays of toosendanin (a limonoid extracted from the bark of Melia azedarach). In four of five experiments insect growth was reduced significantly (P=0.05) by the presence of toosendanin in the diet The fifth experiment showed the same trend, but the effect was not significant. Mean larval mass of both control and treated insects also varied greatly among experiments. The considerable variability observed in this population highlights the importance of replicating experiments in time, and not just space, to confirm reproducibility of treatment effects.
ISSN:0334-2123
DOI:10.1007/BF02981104