Journal of Environmental Biology

Impact of organophosphorus insecticide, malathion on the

progeny sex ratio of Pimpla turionellae L.

 

Burcu Gulfer¹, Mustafa Coskun*², Tamer Kayis¹ and Iskender Emre¹

¹Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Letters, University of Cukurova? - 01330, Balcali, Adana, Turkey

²Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Letters, University of Adiyaman, Adiyaman, Turkey

(Received: January 01, 2008; Revised received: June 05, 2008; Accepted: July 07, 2008)

 

Abstract: The effects of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 0.5 ppm concentrations of malathion, an organophosphorus insecticide, viewed over the course of the experiment, on adult emergence and sex ratios of emerging adults of the parasitic wasp, Pimpla turionellae L. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) were investigated. Diets which contain 0.001 and 0.01 ppm malathion significantly increased the total adult emergence on day 13, 28 and 31 when compared to control diet. Although 0.01 and 0.1 ppm malathion increased the female emergence, higher concentration of malathion (0.5 ppm) significantly decreased the female emergence. Adult female emergence significantly decreased on day 10, 16 and 25 in the group which was fed with the meridic diet containing 0.5 ppm malathion. This study indicated that orally administrated high concentration of malathion (0.5 ppm) significantly decreased female emergence of P. turionellae.

Key words: Pimpla turionellae, Insecticide, Malathion, Sex ratio

 

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