COMPARISON OF GENOMIC DNA IN VARIOUS STRAINS OF BOOPHILUS-MICROPLUS (ACARI, IXODIDAE)

The conventional method of identifying acaricide resistance in a suspe ct tick population by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organiza tion packet assay is a laborious and time-consuming process. DNA probe s have been demonstrated as rapid and accurate tools for detecting pes ticide resistance in insect species. Random-amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) has been used by other groups to differentiate species of mosqu itoes and populations within a mosquito species. By using different ar bitrary oligonucleotides as primers with RAPD, we have demonstrated th at various strains of Boophilus microplus (Canestrini) show different patterns of DNA fragments on agarose gel electrophoresis. The unique D NA fragments may be useful for developing probes that can detect acari cide resistance in field pest populations.