Colorado Potato Beetle Resistant Population Insight Using Single Insect Carboxylesterases (ALiE) Testing

Abstract

Colorado potato beetle (CPB) is an extraordinary example of pest resistance to insecticides. It is proved that increased activity of CPB’s ALiE / carboxylesterase is closely related to resistance to organophosphate insecticides. ALiE activity of different populations was tested, using spectrophotometry. The frequencies of ALiE activity of individual larvae were similar to the binomial distribution. For more resistant populations to organophosphates, the whole graph is shifted to the area with higher enzyme activity. Consequently, individuals with lower ALiE activity disappear from the population while individuals with higher activity appear more frequently. The analysis of single larvae ALiE activity showed a fairly high homogeneity of the examined populations, except for the population Kaona. Examination of single insect ALiE activity is viable and provides insight into the population, which is important for further genetic testing.