Lethal and sublethal effects of dinotefuran on two invasive whiteflies, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Abstract

Two invasive whitefly cryptic species, Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean (MED), are the most invasive and notorious pests on diverse crops and have significantly impacted agricultural production systems globally. This circumstance emphasizes the need for a better approach for controlling these species. In this study, the lethal effect of six insecticides and the sublethal effects of dinotefuran on B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED were examined. Among the six insecticides tested, dinotefuran was the most toxic to both B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED adults with LC50 values of 5.54mg/L and 6.01mg/L, respectively. After treating adults of the two important species with LC25 of 1.70mg/L (MEAM1) and 2.12mg/L (MED), the transgenerational effects of dinotefuran on survival, developmental duration, and fecundity of F1 generation of B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED adults were observed respectively, which increased the developmental time and decreased survival rates of nymph, pseudopupa and adult. The fecundity of tested females was also reduced markedly. In summary, these results indicate that dinotefuran could be one excellent candidate that may effectively control two invasive whitefly populations.