Insect growth and metamorphosis is controlled by the steroid hormones ecdysone and juvenile hormone (JH)

In insects like butterflies and moths that have a distinct larval (juvenile) and adult stage, the relative amount of JH determines whether the insect molts to the next juvenile stage or switches to become an adult. Can you think of a way to use this hormonal system to control caterpillar agricultural pests?


The best approach would be to somehow suppress JH early in caterpillar development, forcing them to mature early. This would reduce the duration of the most destructive stage (the leaf-eating caterpillar). The opposite treatment (extending the caterpillar stage) would have dire consequences, because the quantity of leaf biomass these insects consume increases geometrically with each larval stage.

Biology & Microbiology

You might also like to view...

True or false: A species is a fixed evolutionary unit

A. true B. false

Biology & Microbiology

Erosion of soils is of major concern throughout the world and happens mostly because of what factor?

A. Soils are exposed and not covered by plants. B. heavy rainfall C. Soils are exposed to winds. D. Soils are not kept fertilized. E. Soils are frequently flooded.

Biology & Microbiology

Not all proteins achieve quaternary structure. What determines quaternary structure in proteins?

a. Quaternary structure results from protein denaturation and renaturation with the unraveled protein returning to its original shape and function. b. Quaternary structure results from modification once the protein is released from the cell and enters the extracellular space. c. Quaternary structure results from several formed polypeptides that interact with one another to form a larger, functional unit. d. Quaternary structure results from protein synthesis in the ribosome dictated by the detailed instructions of the mRNA.

Biology & Microbiology

The antibiotic penicillin inhibits the ability of bacteria to:

A) copy DNA. B) synthesize protein. C) make cell walls. D) undergo respiration.

Biology & Microbiology