EFFECT OF A HYPOLIPIDEMIC AGENT ON THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTHWESTERN CORN-BORER, DIATRAEA-GRANDIOSELLA

The hypolipidemic agent, 5-tetradecyloxy-2-furanocarboxylic acid (TOFA ), blocks acetyl-CoA carboxylase, the rate-limiting step in the synthe sis of fatty acids. We examined the effect of dietary TOFA on larval g rowth and development of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandio sella. Dietary levels of 200 and 300 ppm TOFA (wet wt) suppressed both growth and development. A reciprocal transfer experiment using the co ntrol and a 300-ppm TOFA diet showed that TOFA must be ingested throug hout the larvae period to have a deleterious effect. TOFA holds promis e as a tool when a block in fatty acid synthesis will add insight into insect lipid transport, use or metabolism. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevie r Science Inc.