Date of Award:

5-1-1984

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Biology

Department name when degree awarded

Biology

Committee Chair(s)

Ting H. Hsiao

Committee

Ting H. Hsiao

Committee

Thomas M. Farley

Committee

Wilford J. Hanson

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to estimate the amount of genetic variation present among populations of the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and to determine the amount of divergence between these populations. The enzyme products of 25 loci (acid phosphatase, alcohol dehydrogenase-2, alcohol dehydrogenase-3, amylase-1, amylase-2, aldehyde oxidase, esterase-1, esterase-2, esterase-3, fumarase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamate-oxaloacetate-transaminase, alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase-1, malate dehydrogenase-2, malate dehydrogenase-3, malate dehydrogenase-4, malic enzyme, superoxide dismutase, tyrosinase-1, tyrosinase-2, tyrosinase-3, xanthine dehydrogenase) were examined using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for four Utah alfalfa weevil populations; two from the north (Logan and Payson) and two from the south (Delta and St. George). The mean heterozygosity of these weevil populations was found to be 0.208 ± 0.005, and the average proportion of polymorphic loci was 0.459 + 0.009. The average genetic distance between these four populations was found to be 0.016 ± 0.004, indicative of genetic similarity. One diagnostic locus (ADH-2) was found which could distinguish the two northern populations from the two southern populations. The southern populations had two active ADH-2 alleles whereas these alleles were never found in the northern populations. Hybridization between the northern and southern populations showed that they are fully compatible and the active ADH-2 alleles are inherited in a simple Mendelian fashion. The genetic divergence among Utah populations of the alfalfa weevil may be the result of selective adaptation to different climatic conditions.

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