Genetic changes of life history and behavioral traits during mass-rearing in the melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae)

摘要

Quantitative genetic studies for life history and behavioural traits are important in quality control for insect mass-rearing programs. A brief history of quality control in mass-reared insects is given and the differentiation of many traits of wildand mass-reared melon flies, Bactrocera cucurbitae, in Okinawa is reviewed. Factors which have caused variation in these traits are considered. As artificial selection pressures are thought to be more important than inbreeding depression and genetic drift in the mass-reared strain of the Okinawan melon fly, two artificial selection experiments were conducted to evaluate genetic variations and genetic correlations among life history and behavioural traits. These are divergent selections for age at reproduction and for developmental period. The genetic relationship among 5 traits, i.e. longevity, age at reproduction, developmental period, circadian period, and time of mating, was clarified and is discussed in relation to genetic changes of traits duringthe mass-rearing. The results suggest that the genetic trade-off relationships between traits should be taken into account in mass-rearing programs.