Long-term monitoring and characterization of resistance to chlorfenapyr in Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) from China

Abstract

Background: Plutella xylostella (L.) is a worldwide pest of crucifer crops. Chlorfenapyr has been used extensively to manage several insect pests in vegetables, including P. xylostella. In this study, 48 field populations were collected from 11 geographic locations of China from 2008 to 2017 for resistance monitoring to chlorfenapyr. Inheritance and synergism of chlorfenapyr resistance were characterized in a field-derived population.

Results: Compared with the susceptible SZ strain, 33 of 39 populations collected from Eastern China were susceptible or developed low levels of resistance to chlorfenapyr (< 10-fold), five populations developed mid-level resistance (11-33-fold), and only one population had high level resistance (208-fold). However, seven of nine populations sampled from Southern China evolved 136-334-fold resistance. Interestingly, the dynamic of the median lethal concentration (LC₅₀ ) values from four continuous sampling sites (NJ, HF, JN and KS) showed a sharp increase in 2009, which implies that adults may have immigrated from chlorfenapyr-resistant regions. A highly resistant field population (GZ15) was further studied. By crossing the GZ15 and susceptible SZ strains we showed that resistance to chlorfenapyr was autosomally inherited and incompletely dominant. Synergism bioassays revealed that metabolic detoxification might not be responsible for chlorfenapyr resistance in the GZ15 population.

Conclusions: Some field populations of P. xylostella from China have evolved high levels of resistance to chlorfenapyr. Field-evolved resistance to chlorfenapyr is autosomal and dominant in the GZ15 population. These findings provide useful information for the design of effective resistance management strategies against P. xylostella in the field. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Keywords: chlorfenapyr; diamondback moth; inheritance; resistance; synergism.