DOES FOOD PREFERENCE AFFECT MOVEMENT: TARAXACUM OFFICINALE CONSUMPTION IN DROSOPHILA MODELS?

Abstract: Taraxacum officinale Weber (dandelion) can grow in urban environments on metal-polluted sediments deposited in the gutters. We hypothesized that food choice affects motor actions in climbing Drosophila in order to understand its adaptation to polluted environments. Polluted environments alters food choice, climbing and locomotion in response to bitter compounds in the diet. In our study, commercial dry plants at different ways (powder-0.025 to 1 g/L and brew- 100 to 200 microliter/ml ) were added to insect diet. It was found that flies prefer food prepared with powder groups more than the control. While the first group ( 0.025 g/L of powder) was increased mobility, there was no statistically significant difference in climbing behavior between the groups except the first group.