| Abstract: | Abstract Adults of the psocid Liposcelis bostrychophila were exposed to an atmosphere containing 35% CO2 and 1% O2 for 30 successive generations at 28 C and 70%–80% RH in order to select a resistant strain to controlled atmosphere (CA). At the 30th generation the resistance factor (LT50 for selected generation / LT50 for non-selected generation) reached to 5. 6-folds. The results of biochemical assays showed that the activities of carboxylesterase (CarE) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in vitro increased considerably from generation to generation during the selection process, and they were closely correlated with the resistance levels. At the 30th generation, the CarE and SOD activities in the resistant strain to CA (CA-R) were 4. 06-and 5. 22-folds as much as those in the susceptible strain to CA (CA-S), respectively. Exposure to CA resulted in decrease in CarE activity; however, the decreasing range for CA-S was significantly greater than that for CA-R. CA had induction effect on SOD within short time, but for CA-R the induction time was longer and activity induced was higher than CA-S. Catalase (CAT) activity was also raised with the resistance development, but no statistical relationship was found between CAT activity and CA resistance. No significant difference of both acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was found in CA-R and CA-S during the selection process. Peroxidase (POD) activity was not detected in L. bostrychophila. These suggest that the major mechanism responsible for CA resistance appears to be the enhanced CarE and SOD activities, and probably CAT plays an additionary role to adopt low O2 concentration in CA resistance. |
