Abstract
Abstract Growth period and survival of Tribolium confusum were studied on a chemically defined diet alone or supplemented with RNA; guanine, adenine, cytosine, and uracil were also added to the basic diet either singly or in all possible combinations. The effect of supplementing a processed food (dehydrated tapioca pudding) with various levels of RNA on the growth and survival of the beetle was also studied. Diets supplemented with RNA or a mixture of guanine + cytosine or all the four nucleotides were equally effective in stimulating growth and increasing survival of the beetle; guanine + adenine also improved the diet but not as well as the other three. In general, the purines guanine and adenine stimulated the growth and the pyrimidine cytosine acted as synergist while uracil had slight retardatory effect. The tapioca pudding, which is inadequate for supporting growth of the beetle was also improved by the addition of RNA.
Published Version
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