Toxicity of biorational insecticides: activity against the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer)

The relationship between dose for each of four biorational insecticides (pyrethrins, neem extract, capsiacin extract, insecticidal soap) and mortality of the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) was determined using a laboratory bioassay. These insecticides were toxic to aphids and paired mixtures of the insecticides provided synergistic activity as measured by aphid mortality under the laboratory bioassay conditions. Capsiacin extracts were found to provide low levels of mortality alone but acted synergistically in mixtures with the other insecticides and provided higher than expected levels of mortality. Activity as determined in the laboratory for each insecticide was not evident under field-use conditions in five separate experiments. Under field conditions and using common application methods, these insecticides did not provide significant levels of control of aphids.     

The presence of Rickettsia is associated with increased susceptibility of Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) to insecticides

BACKGROUND: The presence of certain symbiotic microorganisms may be associated with insecticide resistance in insects. The authors compared the susceptibility of two isofemale lines, Rickettsia-plus and Rickettsia-free, of the sweet potato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) to major insecticides from different chemical groups, including imidacloprid, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, pyriproxyfen, spiromesifen and diafenthiuron. RESULTS: While the Rickettsia-plus and Rickettsia-free lines showed no differences in their susceptibility to imidacloprid and diafenthiuron, higher susceptibility of the Rickettsia-plus line to acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, spiromesifen and especially pyriproxyfen was observed. LC(90) values indicated that the Rickettsia-free line was 15-fold more resistant to pyriproxyfen than the Rickettsia-plus line. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that the infection status of B. tabaci populations by Rickettsia is an important consideration that should be taken into account when performing resistance monitoring studies, and may help in understanding the dynamics of B. tabaci resistance, symbiont-pest associations in agricultural systems and the biological impact of Rickettsia on whitefly biology.     

Toxicity of insecticides to the sweetpotato whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and its natural enemies

Efficient chemical control is achieved when insecticides are active against insect pests and safe to natural enemies. In this study, the toxicity of 17 insecticides to the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), and the selectivity of seven insecticides to natural enemies of this insect pest were evaluated. To determine the insecticide toxicity, B. tabaci adults were exposed to abamectin, acephate, acetamiprid, cartap, imidacloprid, malathion, methamidophos, bifenthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, esfenvalerate, fenitrothion, fenpropathrin, fenthion, phenthoate, permethrin and trichlorphon at 50 and 100% of the field rate (FR), and to water (untreated control). To determine the insecticide selectivity, adults of Encarsia sp., Acanthinus sp., Discodon sp. and Lasiochilus sp. were exposed to abamectin, acephate, acetamiprid, cartap, imidacloprid, malathion and methamidophos at 50 and 100% FR, and to water. Groups of each insect species were exposed to kale leaves preimmersed in each treatment under laboratory conditions. Mortality of exposed individuals was recorded 24 h after treatment. Cartap and imidacloprid at 50 and 100% FR and abamectin and acetamiprid at 100% FR showed insecticidal activity to B. tabaci adults. Abamectin at 50 and 100% FR was the least insecticidal compound to the natural enemies Acanthinus sp., Discodon sp. and Lasiochilus sp. The present results suggest that abamectin at 100% FR may decrease B. tabaci field populations but can still be harmless to predators. Implications of these results within an integrated pest management context are discussed.     

Insecticide resistance in field populations of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in West Africa

BACKGROUND: The tobacco whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), has developed a high degree of resistance to several chemical classes of insecticides throughout the world. To evaluate the resistance status in West Africa, eight insecticides from different chemical families were tested using the leaf‐dip method on four field populations collected from cotton in Benin, Togo and Burkina Faso. RESULTS: Some field populations showed a significant loss of susceptibility to pyrethroids such as deltamethrin [resistance ratio (RR) 3–5] and bifenthrin (RR 4–36), to organophosphates (OPs) such as dimethoate (RR 8–15) and chlorpyrifos (RR 5–7) and to neonicotinoids such as acetamiprid (RR 7–8) and thiamethoxam (RR 3–7). Bemisia tabaci was also resistant to pymetrozine (RR 3–18) and to endosulfan (RR 14–30). CONCLUSION: The resistance of B. tabaci to pyrethroids and OPs is certainly due to their systematic use in cotton treatments for more than 30 years. Acetamiprid has been recently introduced for the control of whiteflies. Unfortunately, B. tabaci populations from Burkina Faso seem to be already resistant. Because cross‐resistance between these compounds has never been observed elsewhere, resistance to neonicotinoids could be due to the presence of an invasive B. tabaci biotype recently detected in the region. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

不同温度下吡虫啉对B型烟粉虱毒杀活性的研究

分别采用浸卵法、浸渍法和浸叶法测定了22、25、28、31和34℃下吡虫啉对B型烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci B-biotype不同虫态的控制效果。结果表明,随着温度的升高,吡虫啉对B型烟粉虱不同虫态的控制效果也逐渐上升,当温度上升至34℃时,60mg/L浓度药液处理下卵、低龄若虫、高龄若虫及成虫死亡率分别较22℃时升高了20.89%、33.52%、33.37%及17.86%。因此,温度提高对吡虫啉防治B型烟粉虱起到了正面效应。     

Reversal of resistance to pyriproxyfen in the Q biotype of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Pyriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone (JH) mimic, is a biorational insecticide that disrupts insect development. It is one of the principal insecticides being used to control Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) on cotton, and has many environmentally positive attributes that make it compatible with integrated pest management (IPM) programs. In Israel, a high level of resistance to pyriproxyfen has been observed in several isolated regions. Here, tests were conducted to establish whether temporal refuges from exposure to pyriproxyfen could be useful for restoring the effectiveness of the compound. Resistance was found to decrease by a factor of 8 when exposure to pyriproxyfen was ceased for 13 generations. Reversal of resistance was accompanied with increased biotic fitness of the revertant colony. By incorporating experimental estimates of nymph survival, sex ratio, fecundity, egg hatching rate and developmental time, the seasonal cost per generation for resistant insects was estimated to be 25%. A genetic simulation model, optimized by empirical data from bioassays, predicted fitness cost per generation of 19% for resistant homozygous (RR) females and hemizygous (R) males, and produced rates of reversal similar to the experimental results. The model also predicted that, even after 5 years ( approximately 55 generations) without pyriproxyfen treatments, the frequency of the resistance allele (R) will still remain high (0.02). It is therefore concluded, on the basis of experimental and modeling results, that the effectiveness of temporal refuges for reversing development of resistance to pyriproxyfen in B. tabaci may be limited.     

Effectiveness of thiamethoxam and imidacloprid seed treatments against Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) on cotton

BACKGROUND: Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype B is one of the most important pests on cotton around the world. Laboratory, greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of thiamethoxam and imidacloprid seed treatments against B. tabaci on cotton. RESULTS: Under laboratory conditions, the two treatments caused whitefly adult mortality, reduced oviposition and increased mortality of nymphs at 10, 20, 30 and 40 days after germination (DAG). The longer the adults fed on plants from treated seeds, the higher the mortality. The two treatments did not have any effect on eggs. The efficacy of the treated seeds against B. tabaci gradually decreased from 10 to 40 DAG, being the lowest at 40 DAG. In laboratory experiments, the efficacies between the two treatments were similar. In greenhouse experiments, the two treatments were equally effective with lower numbers of whiteflies than untreated controls. With both treatments the concentrations of the active ingredient were gradually reduced with aging of the plants and from the bottom to the top leaves of the plants. Numbers of live whiteflies were well correlated with the dosage of active ingredients. Under field conditions, the seeds treated with both insecticides exhibited similar efficacy against B. tabaci for up to ～2 months. CONCLUSION: Cotton seeds treated with imidacloprid and thiamethoxam were effective against B. tabaci for up to 45 days under laboratory and greenhouse conditions, and up to ～2 months under field conditions. Use of imidacloprid‐ and thiamethoxam‐treated seeds can be an important alternative for management of whiteflies on cotton. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Insecticidal activity of surfactants and oils against silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia argentifolii) nymphs (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on collards and tomato

The insecticidal activities of four surfactants (Cide‐kick, Silwet L‐77, M‐Pede and APSA‐80), a dishwashing detergent (New Day), a mineral oil (Sunspray oil), a cotton seed oil and a vegetable oil, alone or in combination, were tested against nymphs of Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring on collards and tomato. Silwet L‐77 was more effective (>95% mortality) than Cide‐Kick or APSA‐80 at rates from 0.25–1.00 g AI litre⁻¹ but caused severe phytotoxicity to tender tomato leaves at all but the lowest rate. New Day dish detergent at 2.0 ml litre⁻¹ caused mortality (95%) comparable to M‐Pede insecticide soap at 10‐fold greater concentration. A New Day ingredient, cocamide DEA, was considerably more active than the other ingredients or the commercial mixture. Additional surfactants added to Sunspray oil increased efficacy in some treatments, but not others. Toxic responses of 2nd‐ and 3rd‐ instar whiteflies to vegetable oil and cotton seed oil at 5.0 and 10.0 ml litre⁻¹ plus 0.4 g AI litre⁻¹ APSA‐80 ranged from 22.1 to 79.9% and 66.3–88.7% mortality, respectively. Whitefly mortality was greater on tomato than on collard in six of seven instances when differences between host plants were significant. Our results indicate that the these surfactants and oils have good potential for controlling B argentifolii. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Response of two lacewing species to biorational and broad-spectrum insecticides

Green lacewings, includingChrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister) andCeraeochrysa cubana (Hagen), are predators of small, soft-bodied insects including whiteflies. The silverleaf whitefly,Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring [formerlyB. tabaci (Gennadius) strain B], is an important pest of agronomic, vegetable and ornamental crops. Practical use of these lacewings as biological control agents would be facilitated by better understanding of their responses to both biorational (selective) and broad-spectrum insecticides. The topical and residual toxicity of azadirachtin (Azatin-EC^TM), insecticidal soap (M-Pede^TM), paraffinic oil (Sunspray Ultra-Fine Spray Oil^TM) and the pyrethroid bifenthrin (Brigade^TM) to eggs, larvae and adults of the lacewings were studied in the laboratory. Larvae ofC. cubana were much more tolerant to residues of bifenthrin than wasC. rufilabris and were somewhat more tolerant to topically applied soap. At normal field concentrations, azadirachtin (0.005%, by wt a.i.), paraffinic oil (1.0% by volume) and soap (1.0% by volume) were not toxic to larvae or adults of either species either topically or residually. Oil was toxic topically to eggs but azadirachtin and soap were not. Bifenthrin was toxic topically and residually to larvae and adults but was not so toxic to eggs as was oil. Thus, selectivity of all materials tested was relative to lacewing species and lifestage. The relative tolerance to insecticide residues exhibited byC. cubana larvae may be related to its trash-carrying habit, suggesting that use of trash-carrying chrysopids in place of non-trash carriers for augmentative biological control would increase options for non-disruptive chemical intervention when necessary.     

Baeoentedon balios (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae): a parasitoid of ficus whitefly,Singhiella simplex (Singh) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), new to the United States

A new host and distribution record is provided for the whitefly parasitoid Baeoentedon balios Wang, Huang, & Polaszek (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Specimens were reared from ficus whitefly, Singhiella simplex (Singh) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), in St. Petersburg, FL, USA, representing the second confirmed host for B. balios, as well as the first record of Baeoentedon Girault from the Western Hemisphere.     

Q型烟粉虱对不同烟草品种及其挥发物的行为反应

为明确烟草不同品种对Q型烟粉虱[Bemisia tabaci(Gennadius)]抗性水平的差异,在(25±1)℃、RH=80%、L∥D=16h∥8h条件下,研究了Q型烟粉虱成虫对20个烟草品种的取食和产卵选择性。结果表明,接虫72h,‘YY203’和‘K326’两个烟草品种的成虫数和产卵量最少,平均每株有成虫分别为8.25、9.25头,卵分别为31.50、40.75粒,但两个品种间成虫数和产卵量差异均不显著;‘CF226’品种的成虫数和产卵量最多,平均每株有成虫41.25头,卵406.48粒。进一步利用Y形嗅觉仪,测定了Q型烟粉虱对3个品种(‘YY203’、‘K326’和‘CF226’)烟草叶片气味及其提取物的嗅觉行为反应,结果表明,‘CF226’叶片及相应的挥发物提取物对烟粉虱成虫均具有显著的引诱作用,而‘YY203’和‘K326’叶片和挥发物提取物的引诱作用均不明显;Q型烟粉虱成虫对烟草挥发物提取物的趋向性比单纯的寄主植物叶片的趋向性强,但总的反应趋势相似。‘YY203’和‘K326’两个品种烟草对Q型烟粉虱有明显抗性。     

8种不同类型杀虫剂对MED烟粉虱隐种的防治效果及其残留检测

为筛选对设施蔬菜烟粉虱具有高效、低毒、低残留的化学农药,选用8种分属于不同类型的杀虫剂对设施黄瓜和茄子上的MED烟粉虱隐种进行了药效试验和农药残留检测。结果表明,药后10d,8种杀虫剂对黄瓜田MED烟粉虱的防效为78.98%~96.66%,而对茄子田MED烟粉虱仅为39.59%~81.11%。新型杀虫剂10%溴氰虫酰胺OD和50%氟啶虫胺腈WG对MED烟粉虱防效高,药后10d对黄瓜田MED烟粉虱的防效分别达94.90%和94.18%,对茄子田MED烟粉虱的防效分别达75.24%和81.11%;3种新烟碱类杀虫剂药后10d对黄瓜田MED烟粉虱防效为78.98%~89.22%,对茄子田MED烟粉虱的防效60.58%~79.09%。酰肼类拟脱皮激素类240g/L甲氧虫酰肼SC药后10d对黄瓜田和茄子田MED烟粉虱的防效分别为80.79%和80.41%。10%溴氰虫酰胺OD中添加增效剂乙氧基改性聚三硅氧烷可使药后3~14d防治效果显著提高1.86%~67.40%。残留检测结果表明,在推荐使用剂量下,药后15d黄瓜茎叶中噻虫嗪和啶虫脒的平均残留量分别为0.52mg/kg和2.06mg/kg,茄子茎叶中阿维菌素、吡蚜酮、甲氧虫酰肼的平均残留量为0.031mg/kg、2.36mg/kg和4.75mg/kg,均高于我国对果实的最大残留限量标准,而黄瓜果实样品中7种杀虫剂均未检出(0.01mg/kg)。研究表明,10%溴氰虫酰胺OD和50%氟啶虫胺腈WG是防治设施蔬菜MED烟粉虱较为理想的新型杀虫剂。     

Insecticide resistance in Egyptian populations of the cotton whitefly,Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Three collections of Bemisia tabaci were taken from cotton and vegetable crops at the beginning of the growing season in Egypt. These displayed marked resistance to the carbamates carbosulfan (ca 20- to 50-fold) and aldicarb (ca 40- to 80-fold) and moderate resistance to the pyrethroids cypermethrin (ca 10- to 30-fold) and lambda-cyhalothrin (ca 10- to 25-fold). They displayed no resistance to the organophosphates profenofos and pirimiphos-methyl, or to imidacloprid. Another population, collected at the end of the growing season, differed markedly in its response. In this population, resistance to carbosulfan remained high (ca 40-fold), resistance to profenofos and cypermethrin was increased (ca 20- and 50-fold respectively) and a slight resistance to imidacloprid was detected (ca 6-fold). Resistance to cypermethrin and profenofos was shown to be similar among adults and nymphs. Irrespective of collection date, none of the populations showed resistance to pyriproxyfen. These Egyptian populations were compared with two representative Israeli populations. The differences between their resistance profiles is discussed in terms of their collection date, their geographical proximity and the patterns of insecticide use at their sites of collection.     

Cross‐resistance relationships between neonicotinoids and pymetrozine in Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

BACKGROUND: Although cross‐resistance between compounds in the same insecticide group is a frequently observed phenomenon, cross‐resistance between groups that differ in structural and functional characteristics can be extremely unpredictable. In the case of controlling the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius, neonicotinoids and the pyridine azomethine antifeedant pymetrozine represent independent lines of discovery that should be suited for alternation to avoid prolonged selection for the same resistance mechanism. Reports of an association between responses to neonicotinoids and pymetrozine were investigated by resistance profiling of seven B. tabaci strains and complementary reciprocal selection experiments. RESULTS: All strains demonstrated a consistent correlation between responses to three neonicotinoid compounds: thiamethoxam, imidacloprid and acetamiprid. Responses to neonicotinoids for six field strains clearly correlated with responses to pymetrozine. Reciprocal selection experiments confirmed an unexpected case of intergroup cross‐resistance. A seventh strain exhibited a so far unique phenotype of strong resistance to pymetrozine but full susceptibility to neonicotinoids. Selection experiments confirmed that in this strain the mechanism of pymetrozine resistance is specific and has no implications for neonicotinoids. CONCLUSION: Cross‐resistance between neonicotinoids and pymetrozine in B. tabaci probably reflects the overexpression of a cytochrome‐P450‐dependent monooxygenase capable of metabolising both types of compound in spite of their apparent structural dissimilarity. Given the predominance of this mechanism in B. tabaci, both can contribute to resistance management but should be placed within the same treatment ‘window’. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry