High levels of resistance to chlorantraniliprole evolved in field populations of Plutella xylostella

Chlorantraniliprole is the first commercial insecticide from a new class of chemistry, the anthranilic diamides. Chlorantraniliprole provides an effective alternative insecticide for control of Plutella xylostella (L.) populations resistant to other insecticides. Baseline susceptibility to chlorantraniliprole for P. xylostella was surveyed previously from 16 geographical populations sampled from China during 2008-2009, and the median lethal concentrations (LC50s) varied among populations from 1.8- to 8.9-fold higher than the LC50 of a susceptible strain (Roth). In the present work, 20 field populations of P. xylostella sampled in 2010-2011 from China were tested with laboratory bioassays to determine if resistance to chlorantraniliprole had evolved in the field. The LC50s of the 14 populations from northern China ranged from 1.7- to 5.4-fold compared with the LC50 of Roth, which indicates these populations remain reasonably susceptible to chlorantraniliprole. However, the LC50s of the six populations from southern China (Guangdong Province) were 2.6-, 12-, 18-, 81-, 140-, and 2,000-fold higher than the LC50 of Roth. The results showed that high levels of resistance to chlorantraniliprole had evolved in field populations from Guangdong Province of southern China. Intensive use and misuse of chlorantraniliprole may be responsible for the rapid evolution of high-level resistance in P. xylostella in this region. The implementation of resistance monitoring plans and resistance management strategies is urgently needed in China to preserve susceptibility to chlorantraniliprole in P. xylostella.