Effect of Toona sinensis Fruit Peel and Axal Region on the Development and Fecundity of Drosophila melanogaster

Virgin Drosophila melanogaster were collected and fed with 2.5, 10, and 25 g/L concentrations of Toona sinensis fruit peel and axal region. The preoviposition, egg, larval, and pupal durations as well as fertility were calculated. The preoviposition and larval durations differed statistically significantly between the same concentrations of T. sinensis fruit peel and axal region (P < 0.05). Compared with the control, the fruit peel of T. sinensis decreased the preoviposition duration of the offspring, while the axal region initially increased and then decreased the duration as the concentration increased. The egg stage of the F1 and F2 generations were extended by 2.5 g/L fruit peel and 25 g/L axal region, respectively (P < 0.05), but were unaffected in the other groups. Fruit peel and axal region of T. sinensis extended the larval duration, shortened the pupal duration, and increased the number of the offspring, without affecting the sex ratio. These results suggested that the fruit peel and axal region of T. sinensis could affect the developmental duration and improve fertility in D. melanogaster, especially males.