Fluctuating asymmetry, morphological changes and flight muscle ratio in a Vip3A resistant sub-population of Heliothis virescens (WF06)
2015
Gulzar, A. (PMAS Arid Agriculture Univ., Rawalpindi (Pakistan). Dept. of Entomology) | Wright, D.J. (Imperial College London, Ascot (UK). Dept. of Life Sciences)
Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of bilateral traits is a measure of developmental instability caused by genetic or environment stressors. The value of FA for a trait depends on its functional importance and it has been argued that the wing characters are more closely associated with the fitness due to their role in locomotion. Flight performance can affect the fitness of individual insects by influencing feeding, predation avoidance, dispersal, inter-male fighting outcomes and mate acquisition. Insect wing lengths are mostly used in FA studies due to ease with which they can be measured accurately. In the present study we have estimated the flight muscle ratio (FMR) and FA in 3 morphological traits of Vip3A resistant and susceptible sub populations of tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (L.). The Vip3A resistant sub population showed higher FA value for forewing, hindwing and tibia length than the susceptible sub population. The lower FMR observed in the Vip3A-Sel sub-population of H. virescens provides indirect evidence that Vip3A resistant insects are poorer fliers as compared with susceptible individuals. The observed results have potential consequences for insecticide-resistance evolution and dispersal.
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