Pharmacology and histopathology of certain insecticides in grasshopper Poecilocerus pictus Fabricius.

Abstract

Allethrin, dieldrin, nuvan and parathion were applied locally at the pronotum of male grasshoppers in sublethal and lethal doses. The symptoms of poisoning were recorded and the tissues of the treated grasshoppers were prepared for histological study. Histological changes were observed in alimentary canal, central nervous system, Malpighian tubules and fat bodies as an effect of these insecticides. The induced pathology varied according to insecticide and dose; but its greater part did not depend on the choice of the insecticide. However, allethrin and dieldrin caused clumping of chromatins and formation of lesions, whereas nuvan and parathion caused chromatolysis but no lesions.