Evaluation of selective toxicity of five pesticides against Plutella xylostella (Lep: Plutellidae) and their side-effects against Cotesia plutellae (Hym: Braconidae) and Oomyzus sokolowskii (Hym: Eulophidae)

The toxicities of five pesticides commonly used in vegetable fields to the larvae of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L) and its two major parasitoids, Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov) and Oomyzus sokolowskii (Kurdjumov), were evaluated in the laboratory using several bioassays. When tested at the rates recommended for field application by the manufacturer, fipronil, avermectin and chlorfluazuron produced over 95% mortality on third-instar larvae of P xylostella, but fenvalerate and methomyl did not produce any substantial mortality to such larvae, and over 70% of P xylostella larvae could still pupate normally after feeding on cabbage leaf treated with the two pesticides. In a residual contact assay with adult parasitoids, fipronil and methomyl caused over 93% mortality within 24 h; fenvalerate killed approximately 55% of the adults within 24 h; avermectin and chlorfluazuron showed differential toxicity to the two parasitoids. Avermectin was extremely harmful to O sokolowskii but slightly toxic to C plutellae, while chlorfluazuron was more toxic to C plutellae than to O sokolowskii. In the residue assay with cocoons of C plutellae and pupae of O sokolowskii developed within P xylostella pupae, treatments with pesticides did not reduce adult emergence. However, the mortality of C plutellae adults emerged from the fipronil-treated cocoons increased greatly within 24 h post-emergence; adults from the fenvalerate-treated cocoons parasitized less host larvae. Treatments with fenvalerate and methomyl significantly increased the mortality of O sokolowskii adults within 24 h post-emergence. Recommendations of choosing pesticides for the control of P xylostella are given.     

Effects of four host plants on susceptibility of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae to five insecticides and activities of detoxification esterases

BACKGROUND: The tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura (F.), is one of the most destructive polyphagous pests worldwide. The susceptibility of S. litura larvae reared on tobacco, Chinese cabbage, cowpea and sweet potato to phoxim, chlorfenapyr, methomyl, fenvalerate and emamectin benzoate under laboratory conditions was determined. RESULTS: Spodoptera litura larvae reared on tobacco were most tolerant to all insecticides, whereas those that fed on sweet potato were most susceptible. When larvae were reared on each host plant for three generations, the susceptibilities to phoxim of larvae that fed on Chinese cabbage and cowpea were similar, whereas the susceptibility of larvae that fed on sweet potato decreased by the third generation, and on tobacco the susceptibility decreased in each consecutive generation. When nicotine was added to their diet for three consecutive generations, the tolerance of larvae to phoxim increased twofold, and to emamectin benzoate 3.1‐fold, but the tolerance of larvae to fenvalerate and chlorfenapyr did not change. The acetylcholinesterase activities of the larvae that fed on sweet potato and cowpea were greater than the activities of those that fed on Chinese cabbage and tobacco. In contrast, the carboxylesterase activities of the larvae that fed on tobacco and Chinese cabbage were greater than the activities of those that fed on sweet potato and cowpea. The glutathione S‐transferase activities of larvae were highest when they fed on tobacco, followed by Chinese cabbage and cowpea, and the lowest activities were observed when larvae fed on sweet potato. CONCLUSION: Feeding on tobacco or with nicotine added to the diet, the larvae became more tolerant to insecticides, especially to phoxim and emamectin benzoate. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Toxicity and sublethal effects of an insecticidal soap on Aphidius colemani (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

BACKGROUND: The effects of an insecticidal soap on the survival, fitness and behaviour of an aphid parasitoid wasp, Aphidius colemani (Viereck), were studied in the laboratory. The LC(50) (soap concentration causing 50% mortality 24 h after treatment) was determined. The survival of parasitoid larvae (% adult emergence), fitness (tibia length of adults) and number of eggs produced per female parasitoid that survived in third- and fourth-instar aphids treated with insecticidal soap LC(50) were also assessed. The LC(50) for third- and fourth-instar aphids was determined to be 3.25 g L(-1). Acceptance by female parasitoids of aphids that survived their LC(50) was also tested. RESULTS: The soap concentration causing 100% mortality in adult wasps 24 h after treatment was 17.5 g L(-1). The LC(50) was 2.75 g L(-1). Soap did not have any effect on the survival of parasitoid immatures or on the fitness or number of eggs produced per female parasitoid. Wasps that were in contact with treated aphids did not oviposit as much in them as in untreated aphids, indicating that female parasitoids detected aphids treated with insecticidal soap. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that aphid parasitoids released following treatment with insecticidal soap are likely to accept a lower proportion of the surviving aphids. Biological control programmes could be ameliorated by soap applications if the latter were made 1 day before the release of wasps in the greenhouse.     

Induction effects of host plants on insecticide susceptibility and detoxification enzymes of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

BACKGROUND: The polyphagous B‐biotype Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) has developed a high resistance to commonly used insecticides in China. To illustrate the induced changes by host plant, bioassay and biochemical research on five different host populations were investigated. RESULTS: Except for bifenthrin, all tested insecticides showed lower toxicity to the B. tabaci poinsettia population compared with other host populations. Moreover, four insecticides, the exceptions being abamectin and fipronil, showed highest toxicity towards the tomato population. The LC₅₀ values of the poinsettia population, particularly towards acetamiprid, were 14.8‐, 10.3‐ and 7.29‐fold higher than those of tomato, cucumber and cabbage respectively. The CarE activities of B. tabaci cabbage and cucumber populations were all significantly higher than those of poinsettia, cotton and tomato populations. The ratio of the cabbage population was 1.97‐, 1.79‐ and 1.30‐fold higher than that of poinsettia, cotton and tomato respectively. The frequency profiles for this activity also have obvious differences. The GST and P450 activities of the cucumber population were the lowest in the five host populations. CONCLUSION: Long‐term induction of host plants for B‐biotype B. tabaci could influence their susceptibilities to several insecticides. Rational selection and usage of insecticides for particular hosts will be helpful for resistance management and control of this species. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of sublethal concentration of diazinon,fenitrothion and chlorpyrifos on demographic and some biochemical parameters of predatory bug,Andrallus spinidens Fabricius (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in laboratory conditions

Effects of three insecticides, diazinon, fenitrothion and chlorpyrifos on Andrallus spinidens Fabricius (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), a predator of lepidopterous larvae in rice fields were investigated. The insecticides were applied topically at lethal dose (LD₃₀) on the fifth instar nymphs of A. spinidens and evaluated on life table and some biochemical parameters of the predatory bugs. The results showed that pre-oviposition period, fecundity and longevity of treated bugs were significantly affected compared with the control. Analysis of life table parameters of A. spinidens revealed adverse effects of insecticides on net reproductive rate (R₀), intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), doubling time (DT) and mean generation time (T). Among the tested insecticides, fenitrothion was the most toxic insecticide. The lowest value of r was 0.060 day^?1 in fenitrothion. Effects of insecticides on the detoxification enzymes showed that all compounds had inhibitory effect on esterases, acetylcholinesterases and glutathione S-transferases. According to this study, the insecticides cause harmful effects on demographic and biochemical parameters of A. spinidens and are not compatible with the predatory bug even at sublethal concentration.     

寄主营养和次生代谢物质对牛角花齿蓟马(缨翅目：蓟马科)产卵选择的影响

为探究牛角花齿蓟马Odontothrips loti的产卵选择及寄主营养和次生代谢物质对其产卵行为的影响,本研究观测了牛角花齿蓟马在苜蓿Medicago sativa、草木樨Melilotus officinalis、红豆草Onobrychis cyri和红三叶Trifolium pratense 4种豆科牧草叶片上的产卵量和卵孵化率,同时测定、分析了牧草主要营养和次生代谢物质含量与蓟马产卵选择的相关性。结果表明,无选择条件下,牛角花齿蓟马在苜蓿上产卵量最高,为59.1粒/复叶,其次是草木樨,15.7粒/复叶,在红豆草和红三叶上的产卵量仅为0.9粒/复叶和1.1粒/复叶。卵孵化率在苜蓿上最高,为85.05%,在草木樨和红豆草上分别为40.09%和39.18%,红三叶上最低,为5.48%。两两选择条件下,牛角花齿蓟马明显偏好在苜蓿叶片上产卵,在其他牧草叶片上不产卵或产卵量极低。相关性分析表明,牛角花齿蓟马的产卵量与寄主可溶性蛋白含量显著正相关(r=0.722,P=0.002),卵孵化率与可溶性蛋白(r=0.673,P=0.004)和淀粉(r=0.586,P=0.017)含量显著正相关。牛...