Growth Studies with the Cockroach, Periplaneta Americana (Linn.), Fed Vitamin-Deficient Diets Substituted with Corresponding Anti-Vitamins

The vitamin requirements of the German Cockroach were reported recently by Noland, et al. (1949). Their work showed that choline was the most critical vitamin, and that pantothenic acid and nicotinic acid were necessary to reach maturity. Pyridoxine, thiamine, and riboflavin were required by this cockroach for good growth and survival; while the lack of inositol, para-aminobenzoic acid, biotin, and vitamin K caused little or no decrease in their growth rate. It was interesting to note that in this study, the omission of folic acid sometimes seemed to cause growth stimulation. Noland, et al. (1949) concluded that there was a synthesis of riboflavin in the digestive tract of the German cockroach nymphs. Metcalf and Patton (1942), however, had found little or no bacterial synthesis of this vitamin in the cockroach, P. americana. Metcalf (1943) found very large amounts of most of the water-soluble vitamins stored in the malpighian tubes of the roach.