General mobility of insects as a factor of behavioural resistance to insecticides

Abstract

Behavioural resistance is usually ignored by majority of students working on the acquired resistance to insecticides. According to M. E. Lobashev behavioural mechanisms play significant role in organismal adaptation to detrimental factors. We have already shown earlier the significance of the protective behaviour of insects to the poisoned surface for resistance. In the present work significance of the general mobility of D. melanogaster for the resistance to tiophose has been studied. Selection carried for mobility during three generations in two directions (upward and downward) lead to formation of two lines differing from each other in resistance to the poison. Selection was carried in two wild populations "Sukhumi" and "Kerch" and in one laboratory stock "double yellow". The differences are preserved even after 30 generations without selection. In order to show the wide spread of intrapopulation polymorphism for general mobility two more natural populations "Dilizhan" from Caucasus and "Tiraspol" from Moldavia were used. The role of polymorphism on general mobility in population homeostasis and importance of this heritable character for genetics of behavior has been discussed.