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Behavioral changes and growth inhibition in last instar larvae of Heliothis zea induced by oral and topical application of precocene II
Author(s) -
Binder B. F.,
Bowers W. S.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/j.1570-7458.1991.tb01505.x
Subject(s) - larva , biology , instar , heliothis zea , growth inhibition , noctuidae , ingestion , zoology , toxicology , food science , botany , endocrinology , biochemistry , in vitro
In diet choice tests, newly‐ecdysed fifth instar Heliothis zea larvae randomly chose diet containing 4 mM precocene II or diet without precocene II but initially preferred to feed on diet without precocene II. After two days, however, they were found more frequently on diet containing precocene II. Nevertheless, larval growth and development were inhibited when forced to eat diet containing precocene II. Removal of the maxillae, the site of the primary gustatory receptors, did not prevent the growth inhibition caused by larval consumption of diet with precocene II. Topical treatments with precocene II also caused larval growth inhibition, and daily treatments were more detrimental to the larvae than a large single dose. Addition of methylenedioxyprecocene (6,7‐methylenedioxy‐2,2‐dimethylchromene) to the diet did not reverse the observed larval growth inhibition and this compound was itself significantly toxic. These results indicate that larval growth and development are disrupted after precocene II ingestion, but not because of preingestive discrimination by olfaction and gustation.