International Journal of Entomology Research

Authors
Jalajakshi S, Divyashree, Madala Honeyshree, Niveditha BS, Pooja

Abstract
In the current study Brooke Bond Red label Natural Care Tea (RLT) was used to observe the effect on Drosophila melanogaster and its life cycle. Drosophila melanogaster is generally known as fruit fly or vinegar fly. The flies were trapped and transferred into the culture bottle containing the rava-jaggery media. In addition to the natural goodness of tea, RLT contains many ayurvedic ingredients, which are known to have beneficial effects on immune health. The control and treated bottles containing different concentrations of tea extract 0.01g/ml,0.02g/ml,0.1g/ml were maintained for two generations. One male and one female fly were transferred to the control and RLT treated bottles. The second-generation progenies were observed. Some of the observations in our study included movement of the larvae, vertical climbing assay, and egg to adult viability, life span and survival rate of the flies, fertility assay and sex ratio. As the concentration of tea extract increased there was significant increase in the viability of eggs, life span and survival rate of the flies, the ability to move against the gravity and fertility of the flies. There was approximately equal number of male and female progeny flies produced in control whereas in the experimental bottles the female progenies were more than that of male flies. Hence, there was a significant effect of RLT on Drosophila melanogaster.