Effect of food, growth and body lipid contents on the susceptibility of tribolium castaneum herbst to toxicity of insecticides

Abstract

The growth index and weight of Tribolium castaneum were the highest when reared on wheat 4- 5% yeast followed in the descending order by those of insects reared on groundnut oil cake, gingelly oil cake, wheat and coconut oil cake. There was no correlation between the LD 50 values of parathion and endrin on the adults T castaneum on the one hand and the growth index and weight of the insects on (he other. There was positive correlation between the LD 50 values of parathion and the body lipid contents of 7\ castaneum while there was no such correlations in the case of endrin.