LABORATORY SELECTION OF RESISTANCE BY THE RED FLOUR BEETLE, TRIBOLIUM-CASTANEUM (HERBST), TO AN ATMOSPHERE OF LOW OXYGEN CONCENTRATION

Adult populations of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), were exposed for 40 generations to an atmosphere containing 99.5% N2 and 0.5% O2 at 95% RH, in order to select a strain resistant to the low oxygen concentration (LOC) atmosphere. Selection pressure was maintained at between 50% and 70% mortality. At the 40th generation comparison of sensitivity between the selected strain and the original non-selected strain indicated a resistance factor at the 50% mortality level (LT50) of x 5.2. However, throughout the selections, log-time against probit-mortality curves remained roughly parallel from generation to generation and the slope remained low. These findings indicate a multiplicity of genetic factors that at a high level of selection contribute together towards an adaptation of the insects to survival in the LOC atmosphere. Removal of selection pressure from a sub-population of the selected strain from the 13th to 21st generation revealed that resistance was partially retained with a decrease in resistance factor of 23%. Although the study revealed that the insects were able to develop a strain resistant to hypoxia, exposures were at 95% RH to minimize the desiccation effect. This does not reflect field situations, where ambient relative humidities are generally below 70%. © 1990 Springer Science + Business Media B.V.