Western flower thrips resistance to insecticides: detection, mechanisms and management strategies

Insecticide resistance continues to be one of the most important issues facing agricultural production. The challenges in insecticide resistance and its management are exemplified by the situation with the western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). This highly invasive pest has a great propensity for developing insecticide resistance because of its biological attributes, and cases of resistance to most classes of insecticides used for its management have been detected. To combat insecticide resistance in the western flower thrips, several insecticide resistance management (IRM) programs have been developed around the world, and these are discussed. Successful programs rely on non-insecticidal tactics, such as biological and cultural controls and host plant resistance, to reduce population pressures, rotations among insecticides of different mode of action classes to conserve insecticide efficacy, resistance monitoring, sampling to determine the need for insecticide applications and education to assure proper implementation. More judicious insecticide use is possible with the development of well-founded economic thresholds for more cropping systems. While growers will continue to rely on insecticides as part of western-flower-thrips- and thrips-transmitted virus management, more effective management of these pests will be achieved by considering their management in the context of overall integrated pest management, with IRM being a key component of those comprehensive programs.     

Metabolic mechanisms of insecticide resistance in the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande)

The interactions between six insecticides (methiocarb, formetanate, acrinathrin, deltamethrin, methamidophos and endosulfan) and three potential synergists (piperonyl butoxide (PBO), S,S,S-tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF) and diethyl maleate (DEM)) were studied by topical exposure in strains selected for resistance to each insecticide, and in a susceptible strain of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande). In the susceptible strain PBO produced appreciable synergism only of formetanate, methiocarb and methamidophos. Except for endosulfan, PBO synergized all the insecticides to varying degrees in the resistant strains. A very high level of synergism by PBO was found with acrinathrin, which reduced the resistance level from 3344- to 36-fold. PBO slightly synergized the carbamates formetanate (4.6-fold) and methiocarb (3.3-fold). PBO also produced a high synergism of deltamethrin (12.5-fold) and methamidophos (14.3-fold) and completely restored susceptibility to both insecticides. DEF did not produce synergism with any insecticide in the resistant strains and DEM was slightly synergistic to endosulfan (3-fold). These studies indicate that an enhanced detoxification, mediated by cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases, is the major mechanism imparting resistance to different insecticides in F occidentalis. Implications of different mechanisms in insecticide resistance in F occidentalis are discussed.     

室内药剂交替使用对西花蓟马抗药性发展的影响

分别单独使用毒死蜱、多杀菌素和两种农药交替使用连续处理西花蓟马(Frankliniella occidentalis)18代,采用浸渍法从第6至第18代每隔2世代测定3个汰选种群对毒死蜱和多杀菌素的敏感性.结果表明,毒死蜱和多杀菌素交替汰选种群比单一药剂连续汰选种群抗性上升趋势缓慢,F18代时交替使用汰选种群对毒死蜱和多杀菌素的抗性倍数分别为10.89倍和17.19倍,而毒死蜱单一汰选种群对毒死蜱的抗性倍数达到24.19倍,多杀菌素单一汰选种群对多杀菌素的抗性倍数达到20.78倍.因此,交替或轮换使用药剂可以延缓西花蓟马抗药性的发展.     

西花蓟马抗药性研究进展

西花蓟马是世界范围内蔬菜和花卉上的重要害虫之一,使用化学药剂是防治西花蓟马的主要手段,目前西花蓟马已对有机氯、有机磷、氨基甲酸酯、拟除虫菊酯、阿维菌素和多杀菌素等多种杀虫剂产生了抗药性。本文从抗药性现状、抗性机制和抗性治理等几个方面介绍了国内外有关西花蓟马抗药性的研究进展。     

Resistance to spinosad in the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), in greenhouses of south-eastern Spain

Susceptibility to spinosad of western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), from south-eastern Spain was determined. LC(50) values of the field populations without previous exposure to spinosad collected in Murcia in 2001 and 2002 ranged from 0.005 to 0.077 mg L(-1). The populations collected in Almeria in 2003 in greenhouses were resistant to spinosad (LC(50) > 54 mg L(-1)) compared with the authors' highly susceptible laboratory strain. The highly sensitive laboratory strain leads to very high resistance ratios for the field populations (>13 500), but these ratios do not necessarily mean resistance problems and control failures (spinosad field rate 90-120 mg L(-1)). The populations collected in Murcia from some greenhouses in 2004 were also resistant to spinosad (RF > 3682). Spinosad overuse, with more than ten applications per crop, produced these resistant populations in some greenhouses. Spinosad showed no cross-resistance to acrinathrin, formetanate or methiocarb in laboratory strains selected for resistance towards each insecticide. Correlation analysis indicated no cross-resistance among spinosad and the other three insecticides in 13 field populations and in nine laboratory strains. The synergists piperonyl butoxide (PBO), S,S,S-tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF) and diethyl maleate (DEM) did not enhance the toxicity of spinosad to the resistant strains, indicating that metabolic-mediated detoxification was not responsible for the spinosad resistance. These findings suggest that rotation with spinosad may be an effective resistance management strategy.     

Esterase inhibition by synergists in the western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis

BACKGROUND: Western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), is among the most important crop pests in the south‐eastern region of Spain. Its increasing resistance to insecticides constitutes a serious problem, and understanding the mechanisms involved is therefore of great interest. Use of synergists to inhibit the enzymes involved in insecticide detoxification is widely used to determine their responsibility for insecticide resistance. However, they do not always act as intended or expected, and caution must be exercised when interpreting synergist results. RESULTS: Laboratory‐selected strains of WFT were used to analyse the effects of the synergists piperonyl butoxide (PBO), S,S,S‐tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF) and methiocarb on total esterase activity. Significant differences were found, indicating esterase activity inhibition by DEF, a lower effect for methiocarb and a small inhibition of the activity by PBO. Esterase isoenzyme inhibition by these compounds showed a similar result; this assay revealed an extreme sensitivity of Triplet A (resistance‐associated esterases) to DEF. In an in vivo assay carried out with these compounds at different incubation times, only DEF caused posterior in vitro esterase activity inhibition, with a maximum effect 1 h after treatment. CONCLUSION: In this work, only DEF shows true synergistic inhibition of WFT esterases. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Relationship between esterase activity and acrinathrin and methiocarb resistance in field populations of western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis

The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), is a serious pest in the south-east of Spain owing to its direct feeding on crops, transmission of the tomato spotted wilt virus and its very high level of resistance to insecticides. Mechanisms of resistance were examined using field populations of F. occidentalis with different susceptibilities to acrinathrin, methiocarb (selective insecticides), endosulfan, metamidophos and deltamethrin (broad-spectrum insecticides). Esterase activity towards alpha-naphthyl acetate and p-nitrophenyl acetate in resistant strains was significantly higher than in the reference strain (MLFOM) for both model substrates. This higher activity was significantly correlated with acrinathrin and methiocarb resistance.     

阿维菌素与三种杀虫剂对西花蓟马的联合毒力

阿维菌素是防治西花蓟马的常用药剂,为筛选出对西花蓟马具有增效作用的阿维菌素与其他药剂的混配组合,采用浸叶法测定了阿维菌素、毒死蜱、吡虫啉和吡蚜酮等药剂对西花蓟马2龄若虫的毒力,并通过共毒因子法和共毒系数法分别确定了最佳药剂配伍和最佳复配比例。结果表明,阿维菌素与毒死蜱复配表现出明显的增效作用;阿维菌素与毒死蜱比值为2∶8与8∶2时,增效作用最显著;阿维菌素与吡蚜酮、吡虫啉均表现出拮抗作用。     

Verbena × hybrida flower volatiles attractive to Western flower thrips,Frankliniella occidentalis

Western flower thrips (WFT) are attracted to three flowering verbena cultivars. The volatile components of these cultivars contain different enantiomers of linalool oxide which have been synthesised and one shown to be attractive to WFT.     

Inheritance of resistance to acrinathrin in Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

BACKGROUND: The western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), is an economically important pest. The genetic basis of acrinathrin resistance was investigated in WFT. RESULTS: The resistant strain, selected in the laboratory for acrinathrin resistance from a pool of thrips populations collected in Almeria (south-eastern Spain), showed a high resistance to acrinathrin (43-fold based on LC(50) values) compared with the laboratory susceptible strain. Mortality data from reciprocal crosses of resistant and susceptible thrips indicated that resistance was autosomal and not influenced by maternal effects. Analysis of probit lines from the parental strains and reciprocal crosses showed that resistance was expressed as a codominant trait. To determine the number of genes involved, a direct test of monogenic inheritance based on the backcrosses suggested that resistance to acrinathrin was probably controlled by one locus. Another approach, which was based on phenotypic variances, showed n(E), or the minimum number of freely segregating genetic factors for the resistant strain, to be 0.79. CONCLUSION: The results showed that acrinathrin resistance in WFT was autosomal and not influenced by maternal effects, and was expressed as a codominant trait, probably controlled by one locus.     

Synergism studies with binary mixtures of pyrethroid, carbamate and organophosphate insecticides on Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande)

The major mechanism of resistance to most insecticides in Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) is metabolic, piperonyl butoxide (PBO) suppressible, mediated by cytochrome-P450 monooxygenases and conferring cross-resistance among insecticide classes. The efficacy of insecticide mixtures of acrinathrin, methiocarb, formetanate and chlorpyrifos was studied by topical exposure in strains of F. occidentalis selected for resistance to each insecticide. The method consisted in combining increasing concentrations of one insecticide with a constant low rate of the second one as synergist. Acrinathrin activity against F. occidentalis was enhanced by carbamate insecticides, methiocarb being a much better synergist than formetanate. Monooxygenase action on the carbamates would prevent degradation of the pyrethroid, hence providing a level of synergism by competitive substrate inhibition. However, the number of insecticides registered for control of F. occidentalis is very limited, and they are needed for antiresistance strategies such as mosaics and rotations. Therefore, a study was made of the synergist effect of other carbamates not used against thrips, such as carbofuran and carbosulfan, against a susceptible strain and a field strain. Neither carbamate showed synergism to acrinathrin in the susceptible strain, but both did in the field strain, carbosulfan being a better synergist than carbofuran. The data obtained indicate that low rates of carbamates could be used as synergists to restore some pyrethroid susceptibility in F. occidentalis.     

Virulence and efficacy of different entomopathogenic nematode species against western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis)

Virulence and efficacy of five species and strains of the entomopathogenic nematodes of the families Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae:Steinernema riobravis, Steinernema feltiae strains Ger. and UK, andHeterorhabditis bacteriophora strains HP88 and IS5, against the prepupal and pupal stages of the western flower thrips (WFT),Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), were investigated in the laboratory. Although all these nematodes controlled WFT to some extent, they differed in efficiency. The heterorhabditid nematodeH. bacteriophora strain HP88 was more specific to the soil-inhabiting WFT stages (36–49% thrips mortality). The steinernematid nematodesS. riobravis andS. feltiae strains Ger. and UK had only a slight effect (10% mortality) on prepupal and pupal populations of WFT, andH. bacteriophora strain IS5 had the least effect of all. A possible reason for such species variation is suggested and discussed.     

Integrated pest management in western flower thrips: past,present and future

Western flower thrips (WFT) is one of the most economically important pest insects of many crops worldwide. Recent EU legislation has caused a dramatic shift in pest management strategies, pushing for tactics that are less reliable on chemicals. The development of alternative strategies is therefore an issue of increasing urgency. This paper reviews the main control tactics in integrated pest management (IPM) of WFT, with the focus on biological control and host plant resistance as areas of major progress. Knowledge gaps are identified and innovative approaches emphasised, highlighting the advances in ‘omics’ technologies. Successful programmes are most likely generated when preventive and therapeutic strategies with mutually beneficial, cost‐effective and environmentally sound foundations are incorporated. © 2017 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Mechanisms conferring resistance of Western flower thrips to bendiocarb

Mechanisms associated with bendiocarb resistance were examined in two strains of western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), that differed in their susceptibility to this carbamate by 13.6-fold. No appreciable differences between the two strains in [¹⁴C] bendiocarb penetration and excretion were detected; however, bendiocarb was metabolised substantially faster by the resistant KCM thrips than by the more susceptible UMC thrips. No appreciable difference between the two strains was found in the sensitivity of acetylcholinesterase activity to inhibition by bendiocarb. It was concluded that bendiocarb resistance in KCM western flower thrips was due to enhanced metabolism that probably was mainly oxidative in nature.     

Thiamethoxam acts as a target‐site synergist of spinosad in resistant strains of Frankliniella occidentalis

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that the resistance mechanism towards spinosad in Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) is an altered target site. Like the neonicotinoids, the spinosyns act on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in insects, but at a distinct site. The changes in nAChRs related to spinosad resistance in thrips might involve interaction with neonicotinoids. In this study, the efficacy of spinosad and neonicotinoids, alone and in combination, was evaluated in susceptible and spinosad‐resistant thrips strains. RESULTS: The neonicotinoids tested were imidacloprid, thiacloprid, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam and clothianidin. No cross‐resistance was shown between spinosad and any of the neonicotinoids. However, an increased toxicity was observed when a mixture of spinosad with thiamethoxam or clothianidin was tested. No synergism was found in the susceptible strains. The more spinosad‐resistant the thrips strain, the stronger was the synergism. CONCLUSION: Data suggest that spinosad and thiamethoxam may interact at the nAChRs in spinosad‐resistant thrips, facilitating enhanced insecticidal action. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Association of the western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) with cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus) in Israel

In 1992 and 1993, sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) crops in Israel were heavily damaged by the western flower thrips (WFT),Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Adult females appear in the heads of sunflower just as the latter begin to blossom; the population decreases towards completion of anthesis. The damage to kernels is greatest at the periphery of the heads, where flowers appear first, and lowest at the center. Fields sown early in the season (in March) are usually the ones infested most by WFT and suffering the greatest damage. Fields sown one month later are less infested, since predatory bugs of the genusOrius are very active at that time.     

西花蓟马天敌种类及主要种类的控害潜能

西花蓟马[Frankliniella occidentalis(Pergande)]是国际上备受关注的检疫性有害生物,近年来该虫分布范围不断扩大,对农作物、园林园艺植物的危害日趋加重,发挥天敌对该虫的自然控制作用已引起人们广泛重视。本文根据国内外研究报道,总结和记述了西花蓟马的天敌种类及其主要种类对西花蓟马的控制作用。西花蓟马的天敌约有60种,其中天敌昆虫50种,昆虫病原线虫5种,虫生真菌5种。同时,对主要天敌种类小花蝽、昆虫病原线虫和虫生真菌对西花蓟马的捕食寄生及控制潜力进行了阐述。