HORMETIC CONCENTRATIONS OF AZADIRACHTIN AND ISOESTERASE PROFILES IN TRIBOLIUM-CASTANEUM (HERBST) (COLEOPTERA, TENEBRIONIDAE)

Electrophoretic patterns of esterases from larvae of Tribolium castane um fed on a diet which included hormetic concentrations of azadirachti n (viz. 0.001, 0.01 and 0.1 ppm) for 10 d were studied. The results sh owed a dose-dependent variation in the multiple molecular forms of the esterases. The variations, however, were not limited to the synthesis of new isoforms or the deletion of existing ones; there was also vari ation in their relative abundance.