Avidin and streptavidin as insecticidal and growth inhibiting dietary proteins

Avidin was found to be an insecticidal and growth inhibiting dietary protein for five species of Coleoptera (red flour beetle,Tribolium castaneum, confused flour beetle,T. confusum, sawtoothed grain beetle,Oryzaphilus surinamensis, rice weevil,Sitophilus oryzae, and lesser grain borer,Rhyzopertha dominica) and two species of Lepidoptera (European corn borer,Ostrinia nubilalis, and Indianmeal moth,Plodia interpunctella). At levels ranging from 10 to 1000 ppm in the diet depending on the species, avidin retarded the growth and caused mortality of all seven species. Addition of biotin to the avidin-treated diets forT. castaneum, T. confusum, R. dominica, andO. nubilalis prevented the growth inhibition and mortality caused by avidin. Streptavidin exhibited similar insecticidal and growth inhibiting activity towardsT. castaneum andO. nubilalis. The results support the hypothesis that feeding avidin or streptavidin to insects causes a biotin deficiency which in turn leads to stunted growth and mortality. Avidin and streptavidin are insect growth inhibiting proteins whose genes potentially could be manipulated into plants and provide host plant resistance to insect pests. This research was conducted by the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture in coperation with the Department of Biotechnology Research, Pioneer Hi-Bred International. Mention of an insecticide or proprietary product does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by the USDA.     

Low temperature shock and chill-coma consequences for the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) and the rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae)

Insects face several (environmental) abiotic stressors, including low temperature, which cause the failure of neuromuscular function. Such exposure leads insects toa reversible comatose state termed chill-coma, but the consequences of this state for the organism biology were little explored. Here, the consequences of the chill-coma phase were investigated in two of the main stored product pest species – the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (larvae and adults) and the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (adults). For this purpose, a series of low-temperature shocks were used to estimate the chill-coma recovery time (CCRT), survival, nutrition and weight gain/growth of T. castaneum (larvae and adults) and S. oryzae, as well as the development of T. castaneum life stages. The relatively long CCRT was characteristic of beetle larvae, at different low-temperature shocks, and CCRT increased with decreasing temperatures and increasing exposure intervals for both pest species. The survival was little affected by the low-temperature shocks applied, but such shocks affected insect feeding and growth. Tribolium castaneum larvae was more sensitive than adults of both insect species. Moreover, the relative consumption and weight gain of S. oryzae adults were lower than those of T. castaneum adults and mainly larvae, while feeding deterrence was not affected by low temperature shocks, unlike food conversion efficiency. Low-temperature shocks, even under short duration at some temperatures, significantly delayed development. The lower the temperature and the higher the exposure period, the more delayed the development. Thus, the physiological costs of chill-coma are translated into life-history consequences, with potential implications for the management of this insect pest species in stored products and even more so on red flour beetles and rice weevils.     

Phyllotreta cruciferae and Phyllotreta striolata responses to insecticidal seed treatments with different modes of action

The strategy used most commonly in western North America to protect seedlings of canola (Brassica rapa L. and Brassica napus L.) from attack by adults of the flea beetles Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze) and Phyllotreta striolata (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) involves planting seed coated with insecticide for systemic activity. Previous research determined that the two beetle species responded differently to the most commonly used neonicotinoid seed dressings. However, other insecticides that exploit different modes of action have commercial potential for managing infestations of these pests, but no information exists on their efficacies for these flea beetle species. Studies were conducted to compare effects of the neonicotinoid compounds, thiamethoxam and imidacloprid, to spinosyn and fipronil as systemic seed treatments for reducing feeding damage to canola seedlings and increasing mortality of P. cruciferae and P. striolata. Phyllotreta cruciferae experienced greater mortality and caused less feeding damage than P. striolata to seedlings treated with the neonicotinoid compounds. Mortality increased and feeding damage decreased significantly when beetles fed upon seedlings treated with fipronil, indicating its potential usefulness for control of these pests. However, spinosyn seed treatment was relatively ineffective against either beetle species. Higher rates of P. striolata mortality with fipronil than thiamethoxam suggest that fipronil may provide improved flea beetle control over hundreds of thousands of hectares in western North America where flea beetle populations are dominated by P. striolata, and control with thiamethoxam has been suboptimal.     

Effects of bean and wheat α-amylase inhibitors on α-amylase activity and growth of stored product insect pests

Insect α-amylase inhibiting and/or growth inhibiting activities of proteinaceous inhibitors from red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and hard red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) were examined. The bean inhibitor was most effectivein vitro against α-amylases from the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) and the confused flour beetle (T. confusum), followed by those from the rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) and yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor). The insect enzymes were from two- to 50-fold more susceptible than human salivary α-amylase. When the inhibitors were added at a 1% level to a wheat flour plus germ diet, the growth of red flour beetle larvae was slowed relative to that of the control group of larvae, with the bean inhibitor being more effective than the wheat inhibitor. Development of both the red flour beetle and flat grain beetle (Cryptolestes pusillus) was delayed by 1% bean inhibitor, but development of the sawtoothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis) and lesser grain borer (Rhyzopertha dominica) was not affected by either the bean or wheat inhibitor at the 1% level. Rice weevil adults fed a diet containing 1% bean or wheat inhibitor exhibited more mortality than weevils fed the control diet. When the wheat amylase inhibitor was combined with a cysteine protease inhibitor, E-64, and fed to red flour beetle larvae, a reduction in the growth rate and an increase in the time required for adult eclosion occurred relative to larvae fed either of the inhibitors separately. The bean inhibitor was just as effective alone as when it was combined with the protease inhibitor. These results demonstrate that plant inhibitors of insect digestive enzymes act as growth inhibitors of insects and possibly as plant defense proteins, and open the way to the use of the genes of these inhibitors for genetically improving the resistance of cereals to storage pests. Cooperative investigation between the Agricultural Research Service, the University of California, San Diego, and the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station (Contribution no. 94-416-J). Supported in part by a grant from the Ministry of Education and Science, Spain-Fulbright Program to J.J.P. Mention of a proprietary product does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by the USDA. The USDA is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and all agency services are available without discrimination.     

Conserving vedalia beetle, Rodolia cardinalis (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), in citrus: a continuing challenge as new insecticides gain registration

The effects of insecticides used for California citrus pest management were evaluated using larval and adult stages of vedalia beetle, Rodolia cardinalis (Mulsant). This predatory beetle is essential for control of cottony cushion scale Icerya purchasi (Williston) (Homoptera: Margarodidae) in San Joaquin Valley citrus. When adult beetles were exposed to treated citrus leaves, adult survival was significantly reduced by the foliar neonicotinoid imidacloprid and the pyrethroid cyfluthrin. Progeny production was significantly reduced by imidacloprid, cyfluthrin, fenpropathrin, and buprofezin. Buprofezin, pyriproxifen, and foliar imidacloprid also significantly reduced successful development of larvae into the adult stage. When vedalia stages were fed insecticide-treated cottony cushion scale reared on Pittosporum tobira (Thunb.) Ait, toxic effects were more severe than contact toxicity alone. Adult beetle survival was most profoundly reduced by the pyrethroids and to a lesser extent the foliar neonicotinoids acetamiprid and imidacloprid. Progeny production and larval development to adulthood were reduced by all insecticides but were most severely affected by pyriproxifen and the pyrethroids. Systemically applied neonicotinoids were toxic to vedalia larvae feeding on cottony cushion scale that had ingested these insecticides. These data demonstrate that IGRs, neonicotinoid insecticides, and pyrethroid insecticides have a significant, negative impact on vedalia beetles. Depending on the rate of insecticide used, the number and timing of applications, and the level of coverage of the tree, disruption of vedalia can be minimized. However, the situation is made difficult when pests such as citrus thrips Scirtothrips citri (Moulton) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), forktailed bush katydid Scuddaria furcata Brunner von Wattenwyl (Orthoptera: Tettigoiniidae), or glassy-winged sharpshooter Homalodisca coagulata Say (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) require these pesticide treatments during periods of vedalia beetle activity.     

Variation between strains of the flour beetle Tribolium castaneum in relative performance on five flours

When populations are exposed to different environments, evolutionary processes can lead either to genetically differentiated strains or to the appearance of increased generalism at the individual level. For evolution to occur, genetic variability in performance in different environments is required. Here, intraspecific genetic variation across environments was estimated in the flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) by comparing the responses of two strains of T. castaneum to different flour types. Replicated groups from each strain were allowed to develop on either the standard whole wheat medium or on one of four novel flours (wheat, rice, corn and oat). In several of the novel flours, clear differences in mean development time or population size of one or both strains were seen relative to performance in the standard medium. Moreover, the strains differed significantly in their phenotypic responses to the flours. One strain did particularly poorly on oat flour. Reduced oviposition, reduced larval survivorship and increased larval cannibalism were examined as possible causes of the low productivity on oat flour. These three factors accounted for about 70% of the reduction in population size when this strain oviposited and developed in oat flour. The difference between these two outbred strains in response to these five flours suggests that genetic variation in resource use is present within T. castaneum and may also be present within strains and natural populations in grain storage facilities. Such variation would permit an evolutionary response to selection in multiple environments (flours). This process has agricultural implications when several types of grain are stored in a single location because it could eventually lead to the evolution of highly generalized populations of T. castaneum, an important pest of stored products.     

Pyrethroid-Acarophenax lacunatus interaction in suppressing the beetle Rhyzopertha dominica on stored wheat

Any biocontrol agent used against stored grain insects will have to interact with insecticides used as grain protectants due to their heavy use especially in tropical areas. Therefore, the interaction between the pyrethroid insecticides bifenthrin and deltamethrin and Acarophenax lacunatus (Cross & Krantz) (Prostigmata: Acarophenacidae), an egg parasite of the stored cereal pest Rhyzopertha dominica(F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), was assessed in a range of mite densities and insecticide doses for each compound. Despite the mite species presence on all insecticide doses, the lowest instantaneous rate of increase of A.lacunatus was recorded with the highest doses of insecticides. The presence of the biological control agent at all doses of both insecticides suggests its tolerance to these compounds. A. lacunatusshowed higher parasitism rate with bifenthrin than with deltamethrin indicating a higher selectivity of the first compound to the biocontrol agent. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Identification of microsatellite markers in the red flour beetle,Tribolium castaneum

We isolated and characterized microsatellite markers for the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, an important model species for studies in various areas of evolutionary biology and ecology. A microsatellite‐enriched genomic library was constructed and screened with single stranded oligonucleotide probes [(CCT)₁₇, (AAT)₁₇ and (CAG)₁₇]. Forty‐five primer pairs were designed of which 19 pairs produced successful amplification. Polymorphism screening involved beetles from five beetle strains and revealed 15 polymorphic and four monomorphic markers. The development of polymorphic microsatellite markers will facilitate future ecological and genetic studies involving T. castaneum beetles.     

Soil-Applied Imidacloprid Translocates to Ornamental Flowers and Reduces Survival of Adult Coleomegilla maculata,Harmonia axyridis,and Hippodamia convergens Lady Beetles,and Larval Danaus plexippus and Vanessa cardui Butterflies

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a decision making process used to manage pests that relies on many tactics, including cultural and biological control, which are practices that conserve beneficial insects and mites, and when needed, the use of conventional insecticides. However, systemic, soil-applied neonicotinoid insecticides are translocated to pollen and nectar of flowers, often for months, and may reduce survival of flower-feeding beneficial insects. Imidacloprid seed-treated crops (0.05 mg AI (active ingredient) /canola seed and 1.2 mg AI/corn seed) translocate less than 10 ppb to pollen and nectar. However, higher rates of soil-applied imidacloprid are used in nurseries and urban landscapes, such as 300 mg AI/10 L (3 gallon) pot and 69 g AI applied to the soil under a 61 (24 in) cm diam. tree. Translocation of imidacloprid from soil (300 mg AI) to flowers of Asclepias curassavica resulted in 6,030 ppb in 1X and 10,400 ppb in 2X treatments, which are similar to imidacloprid residues found in another plant species we studied. A second imidacloprid soil application 7 months later resulted in 21,000 ppb in 1X and 45,000 ppb in 2X treatments. Consequently, greenhouse/nursery use of imidacloprid applied to flowering plants can result in 793 to 1,368 times higher concentration compared to an imidacloprid seed treatment (7.6 ppb pollen in seed- treated canola), where most research has focused. These higher imidacloprid levels caused significant mortality in both 1X and 2X treatments in 3 lady beetle species, Coleomegilla maculata, Harmonia axyridis, and Hippodamia convergens, but not a fourth species, Coccinella septempunctata. Adult survival were not reduced for monarch, Danaus plexippus and painted lady, Vanessa cardui, butterflies, but larval survival was significantly reduced. The use of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid at greenhouse/nursery rates reduced survival of beneficial insects feeding on pollen and nectar and is incompatible with the principles of IPM.     

Resistance,its stability and reversion rate of resistance to imidacloprid,indoxacarb and chlorfenapyr in a field population of green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Abstract

Green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) is a valuable bio-control agent that predates over various insect pests with high efficacy. It has developed considerable resistance to different classes of insecticides. This study was planned to investigate resistance level, stability and reversion rate against some new chemical insecticides using a field collected population of C. carnea. Field collected strain of C. carnea showed 313.44-fold, 216.50-fold and 276.83-fold resistance to imidacloprid, indoxacarb and chlorfenapyr compared to susceptible population, respectively. Baseline susceptibility values of C. carnea to imidacloprid, indoxacarb and chlorfenapyr were 2627.31, 502.10 and 581.89?ppm, while the insecticide resistance decrease rate was ?0.039, ?0.048 and ?0.040, respectively. Rotation of these insecticides requires quality measures maintaining survival of C. carnea in an intense environment where repeated applications are required to avoid economic damage by pests.     

Aerosol distribution and efficacy in a commercial food warehouse

A series of field trials were conducted in a commercial food storage facility to evaluate exposure of stored‐product insects to aerosol formulations of synergized pyrethrins and the insect growth regulator methoprene. When adults of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), the red flour beetle, and Tribolium confusum (Jacqueline DuVal), the confused flour beetle were exposed with and without a food source to synergized pyrethrin aerosol, there was no difference in adult mortality with respect to availability of food at either 7 or 14 days after exposure (P≥ 0.05). However, mortality was lower in T. confusum (40.4% and 79.3% with flour at 7 and 14 days, 38.9% and 84.8% without flour at 7 and 14 days) compared to T. castaneum (96.5% and 99.8% with flour at 7 and 14 days, 91.0% and 98.7% without flour at 7 and 14 days). Few late‐stage larvae and pupae of either species exposed to the pyrethrin aerosol emerged as adults. In tests with methoprene aerosol, adult emergence of exposed 3‐and 4‐week‐old larvae of T. confusum was less than 2%. Only 0.3% of 4‐week‐old larvae of T. castaneum exposed in open and obstructed areas emerged as adults. Emergence of adults from eggs of Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), the Indianmeal moth, embedded in culture media and exposed to the methoprene aerosol was 13.2%± 3.5%. Results show that the aerosols evaluated in our study could give effective control of some of the major stored‐product insect pests in commercial food storage facilities, and may offer an alternative to fumigation.     

Insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene families: from genetic model organism to vector,pest and beneficial species

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) mediate fast synaptic transmission in the insect nervous system and are targets of a major group of insecticides, the neonicotinoids. Analyses of genome sequences have shown that nAChR gene families remain compact in diverse insect species, when compared to their mammalian counterparts. Thus, Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae each possess 10 nAChR genes while Apis mellifera has 11. Although these are among the smallest nAChR gene families known, receptor diversity can be considerably increased by alternative splicing and mRNA A-to-I editing, thereby generating species-specific subunit isoforms. In addition, each insect possesses at least one highly divergent nAChR subunit. Species-specific subunit diversification may offer promising targets for future rational design of insecticides that act on particular pests while sparing beneficial insects. Electrophysiological studies on cultured Drosophila cholinergic neurons show partial agonist actions of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid and super-agonist actions of another neonicotinoid, clothianidin, on native nAChRs. Recombinant hybrid heteromeric nAChRs comprising Drosophila Dα2 and a vertebrate β2 subunit have been instructive in mimicking such actions of imidacloprid and clothianidin. Unitary conductance measurements on native nAChRs indicate that more frequent openings of the largest conductance state may offer an explanation for the superagonist actions of clothianidin.     

Reduced‐risk insecticides in Neotropical stingless bee species: impact on survival and activity

As honeybees are the main pollinator subject to an intense research regarding effects of pesticides, other ecologically important native bee pollinators have received little attention in ecotoxicology and risk assessment of pesticides in general, and insecticides in particular, some of which are perceived as reduced‐risk compounds. Here, the impact of three reduced‐risk insecticides – azadirachtin, spinosad and chlorantraniliprole – was assessed in two species of stingless bees, Partamona helleri and Scaptotrigona xanthotrica, which are important native pollinators in Neotropical America. The neonicotinoid imidacloprid was used as a positive control. Spinosad exhibited high oral and contact toxicities in adult workers of both species at the recommended label rates, with median survival times (LT₅₀s) ranging from 1 to 4 h, whereas these estimates were below 15 min for imidacloprid. Azadirachtin and chlorantraniliprole exhibited low toxicity at the recommended label rates, with negligible mortality that did not allow LT₅₀ estimation. Sublethal behavioural assessments of these two insecticides indicated that neither one of them affected the overall group activity of workers of the two species. However, both azadirachtin and chlorantraniliprole impaired individual flight take‐off of P. helleri and S. xanthotrica worker bees, which may compromise foraging activity, potentially leading to reduced colony survival. These findings challenge the common perception of non‐target safety of reduced‐risk insecticides and bioinsecticides, particularly regarding native pollinator species.     

Flight directionality of Tribolium castaneum soon after take‐off under glasshouse and field conditions

Flight directionality of the rust‐red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), was investigated under glasshouse and field conditions using sticky traps placed around dense experimental infestations of T. castaneum derived from field‐collected samples. Although beetles of this species are known to fly quite readily, information on flight of beetles away from grain resources is limited. Under still glasshouse conditions, T. castaneum does not demonstrate strong horizontal or vertical trajectories in their initial flight behaviour. Flight was significantly directional in half of the replicates, but trapped beetles were only weakly concentrated around the mean direction of flight. In the field, by contrast, emigration of T. castaneum was strongly directional soon after flight initiation. The mean vector lengths were generally >0.5 which indicates that trapped beetles were strongly concentrated around the calculated mean flight direction. A circular‐circular regression of mean flight vs. mean downwind direction suggested that flight direction was generally correlated with downwind direction. The mean height at which T. castaneum individuals initially flew was 115.4 ± 7.0 cm, with 58.3% of beetles caught no more than 1 m above the ground. The height at which beetles were trapped did not correlate with wind speed at the time of sampling, but the data do indicate that wind speed significantly affected T. castaneum flight initiation, because no beetles (or very few; no more than three) were trapped in the field when the mean wind speed was above 3 m s^?1. This study thus demonstrates that wind speed and direction are both important aspects of flight behaviour of T. castaneum, and therefore of the spatio‐temporal dynamics of this species.     

The antagonistic/synergistic effects of some medicinal plant essential oils,extracts and powders combined with Diatomaceous earth on red flour beetle,Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Abstract

Red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is a prominent pest of stored products particularly cereal flour. Since resistance of this pest to common chemical insecticides is well documented, we were examined the synergistic/antagonistic interaction between Satureja hortensis L., Trachyspermum ammi L., Ziziphora tenuior L., Cuminum cyminum L. and Foeniculum vulgare Miller essential oils, ethanolic extracts and powders with Diatomaceous earth (DE) against T. castaneum adults under laboratory conditions at 27 ± 1 °C, 65 ± 5% RH and continuous darkness. We assayed repellency of ethanolic extracts and essential oils of mentioned plants on the pest. Results showed that DE had high toxicity to the pest. Plant essential oils and ethanolic extracts (except ziziphora) synergized the performance of DE. Nevertheless, plant powders elicited antagonistic effects (except ziziphora that exhibited synergistic effect). The most repellent EO and extract was cumin which exhibited mean repellency value on adult insect equivalent to 92.58 and 51.47%, respectively.     

The behaviour of 9 stored product beetles at pitfall trap arenas and their capture in millet

Pitfall trap capture forSitophilus oryzae (L.),S. zeamais (Motschulsky),S. granarius (L.),Tribolium confusum (Duval),T. castaneum (Herbst);Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.),Cryptolestes pusillus (Schonherr),Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabr.), andProstephanus truncatus (Horn) in millet was assessed by visual and time-lapse video recordings. The behaviour of different beetle species in arenas containing millet was monitored over 24 h and the frequency of encounters with the trap rim resulting in capture recorded. The capture efficiency of four types of pitfall traps (i.e. polystyrene, polythene, glass and tin-plated steel can) with rims exposed or submerged below the millet surface level were compared. Capture was related to beetle size, locomotory rate, and beetle behaviour at the trap rim as well as trap design and placement. The lighter and smaller species were least captured. Glass jars were more effective than plastic and metal containers. Traps placed with their rims submerged below the grain surface level were more efficient than those with rims exposed. Capture rate was unrelated to trap size. The frequency of encounters with trap rims was not correlated with capture rate. Three types of avoidance behaviours at the trap rims i.e. probing, skirting and spontaneous retreat, were related to capture rate, spontaneous retreat being the most effective escape mechanism and probing least.     

Functionality of the GAL4/UAS system in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tribolium</Emphasis> requires the use of endogenous core promoters

Background  

The red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum has developed into an insect model system second only to Drosophila. Moreover, as a coleopteran it represents the most species-rich metazoan taxon which also includes many pest species. The genetic toolbox for Tribolium research has expanded in the past years but spatio-temporally controlled misexpression of genes has not been possible so far.     

Life Stages: Interactions and Spatial Patterns

In many stage-structured species, different life stages often occupy separate spatial niches in a heterogeneous environment. Life stages of the giant flour beetle Tribolium brevicornis (Leconte), in particular adults and pupae, occupy different locations in a homogeneous habitat. This unique spatial pattern does not occur in the well-studied stored grain pests T. castaneum (Herbst) and T. confusum (Duval). We propose density dependent dispersal as a causal mechanism for this spatial pattern. We model and explore the spatial dynamics of T. brevicornis with a set of four density dependent integrodifference and difference equations. The spatial model exhibits multiple attractors: a spatially uniform attractor and a patchy attractor with pupae and adults spatially separated. The model attractors are consistent with experimental observations.     

Resistance to neonicotinoid insecticides and expression changes of eighteen cytochrome P450 genes in field populations of Bemisia tabaci from Xinjiang,China

The occurrence of Bemisia tabaci poses an increasingly serious threat to cotton and vegetable crops in Xinjiang, China. Currently, neonicotinoid insecticides are commonly used to control the insect, to which resistance is inevitable due to intensive use. However, the resistance status and mechanism of B. tabaci to neonicotinoid insecticides in Xinjiang are poorly understood. Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases represent a key detoxification mechanism in the neonicotinoid resistance of B. tabaci. In this study, the resistance level to imidacloprid and thiamethoxam was investigated using the leaf dipping method in five field populations of B. tabaci from Turpan (TP, two sampling sites), Shache (SC), Hotan (HT) and Yining (YN) in northern and southern Xinjiang. The expression changes of eighteen cytochrome P450 genes from the select B. tabaci populations were determined by real‐time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR). The bioassay revealed that the five populations tested had developed moderate to high levels of resistance to imidacloprid (12.26–46.07‐fold), while the populations remained sensitive to thiamethoxam except for HT, which had a low level of resistance. The qPCR results showed that the expression levels of five P450 genes, CYP4G68, CYP6CM1, CYP303A1‐like, CYP6DZ7 and CYP6DZ4, were significantly higher in some resistant field populations than in the susceptible strain. Resistance to imidacloprid in field populations of B. tabaci might be associated with the increased expression of these five cytochrome P450 genes. The results are useful for further understanding the mechanism of neonicotinoid resistance and will contribute to the management of insecticide‐resistant B. tabaci in Xinjiang.