Esterase isozymes development in the mid gut of the grasshopper schistocerca gregaria [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Locust swarms cause great damage to grassland, agricultural crops and various other plants. This damage in the invasion territories of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Orthoptrea: Acrididae) is not only confined to Africa, India or Asia Minor, but also affected other areas of the earth infested by other species of locusts. The desert locust is not a significant pest in its solitarious phase, in the recession areas, but gregarious phase becomes the major pest when forming swarms stimulated by the rain and improved vegetation (Nolte, 1974). Esterases are hydrolyzing enzymes, which split ester compounds with the addition of water to yield alcohol and acids (Shaurub et al., 1999). The aim of the present study was to investigate the etectrophoretic variations of esterase isozymes in the gut of Schistocerca gregoria. This study may help in understanding the biochemical changes and the mode of development in different phases of this economic pest in Egypt.

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