Effects of Stevia rebaudiana Pure and Crude Leaf Powder on the Pupation Site Preference of Drosophila melanogaster
Author : Sneha R Rao, Shrinidhi G Galabi, G Pavithra, Gunavathi NL, Soundarya KL and Shakunthala V
Abstract :
Preference to pupate on the appropriate substratum by a larvae enhances its survivability, it also depends on the energy acquired during its feeding period. Pupation site preference is a critical developmental event in Drosophila. Choosing and moving a long distance during its last instar is challenge to all insect and influenced by variety of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Percentage of larvae preferred to pupate on different site and the height travelled by the larvae to pupate has taken as a measure of the pupation site preferences in order to choose an appropriate place to pupate. In the present study, we use two different type of natural sugars for their efficacy to acquire energy to travel greater heights has been observed in the flies treated with stevia pure powder and dried stevia leaf powder (crude extract and Pure extract) of the plant Stevia rebaudiana. We measured the height preferred by pupate on media (<1 cm), wall of the bottle (> 5cm) and on the neck (> 10 cm) of the bottle. Interestingly, except for the control all the treated groups have traveled the greater height of > 5 cm. Compared to stevia powder the energy acquired in the stevia leaf powder is greater than control group have showed 40% pupation in the neck of the bottle (>10cm) height. The data is analyzed and discussed.
Keywords :
D. melanogaster, pupation site preference, pupation height, stevia, stevia dried leaf
