Organophosphorus insecticide resistance inDrosophila melanogaster populations

Natural variation inDrosophila melanogaster populations for mixed function oxidase activity and organophosphorus resistance was studied by sampling iso-chromosomal lines and laboratory selection. A 20-fold variation in malathion LC50 was found among a sample of 25 third chromosomes from a Raleigh, North Carolina, population. These chromosomes were combined in a population that was selected for malaoxon (a toxic metabolite of malathion) …