Studies on the effect of low temperature on the duration of embryonic life, hatching percentage, wet weight, water and glucose levels and acid phosphatase activity during embryogenesis in eggs of Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Insect Biochemistry Lab, Department of Zoology,S.D.J.P.G. College Chandeshwar Azamgarh, (U.P.)-276128, INDIA

2 Insect Biochemistry Lab, Department of Zoology,S.D.J.P.G. College Chandeshwar Azamgarh,(U.P.)-276128, INDIA

Abstract

Laboratory experiments were performed to study the effects of low temperature on the duration of embryonic life, hatching percentage, wet weight, water content, glucose levels and acid phosphatase activity during embryonic development in the rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica. A significant increase occurred in the duration of embryonic life with decreasing temperature. Lowering the temperature from 28ºC to 24ºC did not affect the hatching percentage of eggs. However, when incubated at 28ºC, wet weight and water content of eggs significantly decreased with advancing egg age up to 40-48 h and 32-40 h respectively. Moreover, the rate of decrease in wet weight and water content lowered with decreasing incubation temperature. A significant decrease in glucose levels (mg/egg and mg/mg wet weight of egg sample) occurred during the initial stages followed by an increase, during the later stages of embryogenesis in eggs incubated at all three temperatures, although the levels of variation decreased with decreasing temperature. Acid phosphatase activity showed a more or less, sigmoid pattern of change, with a lowering rate of increase, corresponding to decreasing incubation temperature.

Keywords

Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences. A, Entomology
Volume 3, Issue 1
June 2010
Pages 187-197

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics