Valuation of Adipokinetic Response in the Adult Desert Locust, Schistocerca Gregaria Under the Influence of Azadirachtin and Melia Volkensii Extract.

Abstract

In order to develop realistic options and control strategies which are environmentally acceptable, sustainable utilization of indigenous ~botanical resources ought to be established. Flight performance was reduced in the desert locust, S. gregaria Forskal after injections of 0.01 gland pairs of corpora cardiaca as a standard dose and treatment with a definable triterpenoids (limonoid) fraction extracted from A. indica and Melia volkensii, family Meliaceae. The cc extract only produced a hyperlipaemia response which was approximately double the initial resting lipid levels. From the data obtained in this study a rise in the haemolymph lipid level from 11.98 ± 1.63 ~g/~l at zero time to 28.76 ± 2.97~g/~l 60 minutes from commencement of flight ~as realised and was significant at P < 0.05. In contrast, the blood lipid levels in azadirachtin-treated and flown locusts were less than those in the controls, which received cc extract only. Doses ranged between O.l~g to 2~g of - azadirachtin per locust. Using 0.1 ~g - 0.25 ~g/locust of rh volkensii triterpenoid fraction,the difference in total lipid concentration between resting levels and 60 minutes after treatment ranged from 1.9 to 8.9 ~g/~l. A higher M. volkensii dose (0.5-2~g/locust) was not effective in inducing hyperlipidemia response at 60 minutes.