Assessment of field evolved resistance to some broad-spectrum insecticides in cotton jassid, Amrasca devastans from southern Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Resistance management, targeting insect pests is one of the key components in developing integrated pest management strategies. Arguably, resistance monitoring is a scientific undertaking that can support and inform resistance management tactics and strategies. To monitor the current resistance status in Amrasca devastans against conventional insecticides (deltamethrin, bifenthrin, cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, profenofos, acephate, and methomyl) which are used by the farming community as the predominant means to control this pest. Field populations of A. devastans were collected from six different districts: Multan, Bahawalpur, Khanewal, Lahore, Dera Ghazi Khan and Muzaffargarh from Punjab in Pakistan. The adult populations tested were 11.10–92.87 times more resistant to deltamethrin, 5.87–14.11 times more to bifenthrin, 3.16–17.5 times more to cypermethrin, 2.65–36.42 times more to chlorpyrifos, 7.28–57.71 times more to profenofos, 1.65–11.13 times more to acephate and 2.55–43.31 times more to methomyl as compared to control (lab population). In our study, no to high levels of resistance were observed against pyrethroids and organophosphates. Development of resistance to these pyrethroids and organophosphates might be due to the injudicious use of these types of insecticides in field crops. This study suggests that use of these insecticides should be minimized to avoid development of resistance in A. devastans. Future studies are also recommended to use new chemistry insecticides with novel modes of action and/or insecticide mixtures that may reduce the reliance of the farming communities on these insecticides.