Geographic distribution and relative abundance of the invasive glassy-winged sharpshooter: effects of temperature and egg parasitoids

The capacity to predict the geographic distribution and relative abundance of invasive species is pivotal to developing policy for eradication or control and management. Commonly used methods fall under the ambit of ecological niche models (ENMs). These methods were reviewed and shortcomings identified. Weather-driven physiologically based demographic models (PBDMs) are proposed that resolve many of the deficiencies of ENMs. The PBDM approach is used to analyze the invasiveness of the polyphagous glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca vitripennis [Germar]), a pest native to the southeastern United States and northeastern Mexico that extended its range into California in 1989. Glassy-winged sharpshooter vectors the pathogenic bacterium, Xylella fastidiosa (Wells) that causes Pierce's disease in grape and scorch-like diseases in other plants. PBDMs for glassy-winged sharpshooter and its egg parasitoids (Gonatocerus ashmeadi Girault and G. triguttatus Girault) were developed and linked to a PBDM for grape published by Wermelinger et al. (1991). Daily weather data from 108 locations across California for the period 1995-2006 were used to drive the PBDM system, and GRASS GIS was used to map the simulation results. The geographic distribution of glassy-winged sharpshooter, as observed, is predicted to be largely restricted to the warm areas of southern California, with the action of the two egg parasitoids reducing its abundance >90%. The average indispensable mortality contributed by G. triguttatus is <1%. A temperature-dependent developmental rate model for X. fastidiosa was developed that suggests its geographic range is also limited to the warm inland areas of southern California. Biological control of glassy-winged sharpshooter further decreases the pathogen's relative range. Climate warming scenarios of +2°C and +3°C suggest that the distribution and severity of glassy-winged sharpshooter and X. fastidiosa will increase in the agriculturally rich central valley of California. The utility of holistic analyses for formulating control policy and tactics for invasive species is discussed.     

Distribution and management of citrus in California: implications for management of glassy-winged sharpshooter

The epidemiology of Pierce's disease of grape (Vitis spp.) in California has changed over the past 10 yr due to the introduction of an exotic vector, Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar), the glassy-winged sharpshooter. Although this insect is highly polyphagous, citrus (Citrus spp.) is considered a preferred host and proximity to citrus has been implicated as a significant risk factor in recent epidemics of Pierce's disease in southern California. Consequently, a detailed knowledge of the distribution and management of citrus in relation to grape is needed to improve insect and disease management. Analysis of data on the area planted to these two commodities indicates that only five counties in California concomitantly grow >1,000 ha of grape and >1,000 ha of citrus: Riverside, Kern, Tulare, Fresno, and Madera counties. Comparison of the distribution of grape and citrus within each of these counties indicates that the percentage of grape that is in proximity to citrus is greatest for Riverside County, but the total area of grape that is in proximity to citrus is greater for Fresno, Kern, and Tulare counties. The use of carbamates, neonicotinoids, organophosphates, and pyrethroids as part of the citrus pest management program for control of key insect pests was compared among the same five counties plus Ventura County from 1995 to 2006. Ventura County was included in this analysis as this county grows >10,000 ha of citrus and has established glassy-winged sharpshooter populations. The use of these broad-spectrum insecticides was lowest in Riverside and Ventura counties compared with the other four counties. Analysis of historical trapping data at the county scale indicates a negative association of broad-spectrum insecticide use with glassy-winged sharpshooter abundance. These results are used to retrospectively analyze the Pierce's disease outbreaks in Kern and Riverside counties.     

The acetylcholinesterase gene and organophosphorus resistance in the Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), encoded by the Ace gene, is the primary target of organophosphorous (OP) and carbamate insecticides. Ace mutations have been identified in OP resistants strains of Drosophila melanogaster. However, in the Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, resistance in field and laboratory generated strains is determined by point mutations in the Rop-1 gene, which encodes a carboxylesterase, E3. To investigate the apparent bias for the Rop-1/E3 mechanism in the evolution of OP resistance in L. cuprina, we have cloned the Ace gene from this species and characterized its product. Southern hybridization indicates the existence of a single Ace gene in L. cuprina. The amino acid sequence of L. cuprina AChE shares 85.3% identity with D. melanogaster and 92.4% with Musca domestica AChE. Five point mutations in Ace associated with reduced sensitivity to OP insecticides have been previously detected in resistant strains of D. melanogaster. These residues are identical in susceptible strains of D. melanogaster and L. cuprina, although different codons are used. Each of the amino acid substitutions that confer OP resistance in D. melanogaster could also occur in L. cuprina by a single non-synonymous substitution. These data suggest that the resistance mechanism used in L. cuprina is determined by factors other than codon bias. The same point mutations, singly and in combination, were introduced into the Ace gene of L. cuprina by site-directed mutagenesis and the resulting AChE enzymes expressed using a baculovirus system to characterise their kinetic properties and interactions with OP insecticides. The K(m) of wild type AChE for acetylthiocholine (ASCh) is 23.13 microM and the point mutations change the affinity to the substrate. The turnover number of Lucilia AChE for ASCh was estimated to be 1.27x10(3) min(-1), similar to Drosophila or housefly AChE. The single amino acid replacements reduce the affinities of the AChE for OPs and give up to 8.7-fold OP insensitivity, while combined mutations give up to 35-fold insensitivity. However, other published studies indicate these same mutations yield higher levels of OP insensitivity in D. melanogaster and A. aegypti. The inhibition data indicate that the wild type form of AChE of L. cuprina is 12.4-fold less sensitive to OP inhibition than the susceptible form of E3, suggesting that the carboxylesterases may have a role in the protection of AChE via a sequestration mechanism. This provides a possible explanation for the bias towards the evolution of resistance via the Rop-1/E3 mechanism in L. cuprina.     

The involvement of acetylcholinesterase in resistance of the California red scale shape Aonidiella aurantii to organophosphorus pesticides

Laboratory toxicity bioassays using chlorpyrifos (Dursban) confirmed the notion that development of resistance is responsible for widespread failures to control the California red scale, Aonidiella aurantii (Mask.) by applying organophosphorus (OP) compounds in citrus groves in Israel. Higher Vmax values of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity (9–13 fold) were measured in resistant strains collected from the field as compared to a susceptible line. No differences were found with respect to Km values using acetylthiocholine iodide as a substrate, or degree of inhibition (expressed by IC₅₀ values) by the OP compounds chlorpyrifos-oxon and paraoxon and the carbamate pirimicarb. We suggest that resistance of the California red scale is caused by excess of AChE molecules able to bind and thus scavenge inhibitory OP compounds. This scavenging mechanism related to AChE may be similar in other insect species where elevated levels of detoxifying esterases were implicated in conferring OP resistance.     

Novel AChE Inhibitors for Sustainable Insecticide Resistance Management

Resistance to insecticides has become a critical issue in pest management and it is particularly chronic in the control of human disease vectors. The gravity of this situation is being exacerbated since there has not been a new insecticide class produced for over twenty years. Reasoned strategies have been developed to limit resistance spread but have proven difficult to implement in the field. Here we propose a new conceptual strategy based on inhibitors that preferentially target mosquitoes already resistant to a currently used insecticide. Application of such inhibitors in rotation with the insecticide against which resistance has been selected initially is expected to restore vector control efficacy and reduce the odds of neo-resistance. We validated this strategy by screening for inhibitors of the G119S mutated acetylcholinesterase-1 (AChE1), which mediates insensitivity to the widely used organophosphates (OP) and carbamates (CX) insecticides. PyrimidineTrione Furan-substituted (PTF) compounds came out as best hits, acting biochemically as reversible and competitive inhibitors of mosquito AChE1 and preferentially inhibiting the mutated form, insensitive to OP and CX. PTF application in bioassays preferentially killed OP-resistant Culex pipiens and Anopheles gambiae larvae as a consequence of AChE1 inhibition. Modeling the evolution of frequencies of wild type and OP-insensitive AChE1 alleles in PTF-treated populations using the selectivity parameters estimated from bioassays predicts a rapid rise in the wild type allele frequency. This study identifies the first compound class that preferentially targets OP-resistant mosquitoes, thus restoring OP-susceptibility, which validates a new prospect of sustainable insecticide resistance management.     

Comparison of Anopheles gambiae and Culex pipiens acetycholinesterase 1 biochemical properties

Selection of insensitive acetycholinesterase 1 (AChE1) has occurred in several mosquito species controlled with carbamate (CX) and organophosphate (OP) insecticides. In case of pyrethroid resistance, these insecticides represent an alternative for disease vector control program. Their heavy use in agriculture has selected resistant populations of Anopheles gambiae in West Africa. The evolution of resistance has to be studied to prevent, or at least slow down, the spread of resistant mosquito in wild populations. An. gambiae shares the same resistance mechanism to CX and OP insecticides as Culex pipiens, which was attributed to the G119S substitution in the AChE1 enzyme. By comparing resistant AChE1 from both species, we show here that similar resistance levels are obtained toward 10 insecticides of both classes. Moreover, similar AChE1 activity levels are recorded between either susceptible or resistant mosquitoes of both species. Enzymes belonging to both species seem thus to share identical properties. Consequently, we hypothesize that fitness cost associated with AChE1 insensitivity in C. pipiens mosquitoes should be similar in An. gambiae and thus be used in strategies to control resistant populations where malaria is prevalent.     

Application of competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the quantification of imidacloprid titers in xylem fluid extracted from grapevines

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was evaluated for quantifying titers of imidacloprid in xylem fluid extracted from Vitis vinifera L. grapevines that were treated with systemic applications of the neonicotinoid insecticide Admire. Evidence of matrix effects, factors that compromise the precision and accuracy of the ELISA, was present in assays with undiluted xylem fluid. These effects could be eliminated by dilution of extracts in water, resulting in a lower sensitivity of the assay of 4 microg liter(-1). In a field trial conducted in a commercial vineyard, there was an excellent correlation between Admire application rates and xylem fluid concentrations of imidacloprid. At an Admire application rate of 1.17 liter ha(-1) (16 fl oz per acre), uptake of imidacloprid into vines was rapid. Imidacloprid was consistently detected in the xylem for up to 3 mo after application at concentrations known to be effective at managing populations of the sharpshooter Homalodisca coagulata Say, an important vector of Xylella fastidiosa Wells in California vineyards. The ELISA is a sensitive technique that can be used to study the behavior of systemic insecticides within crop systems and their impact on pest populations.     

Biochemical basis of organophosphate and carbamate resistance in Asian citrus psyllid

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, is a worldwide pest of citrus, which vectors the putative causal pathogen of huanglongbing. Current management practices warrant continuous monitoring of field populations for insecticide resistance. Baseline activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), general esterase, and glutathione S-transferase as well as sensitivity of AChE to selected organophosphate and carbamate insecticides were established for a susceptible laboratory strain (Lab) and compared with several field populations of D. citri from Florida. The specific activity of AChE in various D. citri populations ranged from 0.77 to 1.29 microM min(-1) mg of protein(-1); the Lab strain was characterized by the highest activity. Although reduced AChE sensitivity was observed in the Lab strain compared with field populations, overlap of 95% confidence intervals of I50 values (concentration required for 50% AChE activity inhibition) suggests no significant difference in AChE sensitivity among all populations tested for a given insecticide. There was no significant evidence of target site insensitivity in field populations that were exposed to the selected organophosphate and carbamate insecticides tested. The specific activity of general esterase and glutathione S-transferase was lowest in the Lab strain and was generally comparable to that of the field populations evaluated. The current data provide a mode-of-action specific baseline for future monitoring of resistance to organophosphate and carbamate insecticides in populations of D. citri.     

Expression of the housefly acetylcholinesterase in a bioreactor and its potential application in the detection of pesticide residues

Acetylcholinesterase is a key enzyme of the animal nerve system. The enzyme is the primary target of organophosphorous (OP) and carbamate (CB) insecticides. The insect AChE is being extensively used in development of new insecticides or in vitro selection of the new designed insecticides, and in pharmacological and toxicological field. Rapid assays using AChE-based methods have been proposed as an efficient and rapid method for the detection of pesticides, especially in many Asian markets. In this study, the acetylcholinesterase gene was cloned from housefly (Musca domestica) susceptible to organophosphate (OP) and carbamate (CB) insecticides, and expressed in baculovirus-insect cells system using a bioreactor with oxygen supplementation. The recombinant housefly AChE was purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation and procainamide affinity chromatography, and approximately 0.42 mg of the purified AChE with high biological activity (118.9 U/mg) was obtained from 100 ml of culture solution. The purified AChE was highly sensitive to OP and CBs insecticides. In conclusion, an efficient expression and purification system has been developed for large-scale production of recombinant housefly AChE. The recombinant enzyme is potential to be used for the detection of pesticide residues.     

小菜蛾抗性个体不敏感乙酰胆碱酯酶的鉴定

乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE)敏感性降低是小菜蛾对有机磷和氨基甲酸酯产生抗性的重要机制之一,已得到广泛的承认和报道。一种用硝酸纤维素膜的斑点法鉴定个体小菜蛾的抗性AChE不敏感性的应用技术,提供了早期侦测和随后监测田间种群抗性的可能性。此法操作简便灵敏。小菜蛾抗性品系(GBR)和田间种群成虫头部AChE活力,在残杀威抑制时,抑制率分别为50.97%和43.96%,有对氧磷存在时,分别为63.78%和35.87%,较敏感品系的AChE为不敏感。     

Alterations of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme in the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis are correlated with resistance to the organophosphate insecticide fenitrothion

Alterations of the structure and activity of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) leading to resistance to organophosphate insecticides have been examined in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), an economic pest of great economic importance in the Asia-Pacific region. We used affinity chromatography to purify AChE isoenzymes from heads of insects from lines showing the phenotypes of resistance and sensitivity to insecticide treatments. The AChE enzyme from a strain selected for resistance to the insecticide fenitrothion shows substantially lower catalytic efficiency for various substrates and 124-, 373- and 5810-fold less sensitivity to inhibition by paraoxon, eserine and fenitroxon, respectively, compared to that of the fenitrothion susceptible line. Using peptide mass fingerprinting, we also show how specific changes in the structure of the AChE enzymes in these lines relate to the resistant and sensitive alleles of the AChE (ace) gene characterized previously in this species (described in Hsu, J.-C., Haymer, D.S., Wu, W.-J., Feng, H.-T., 2006. Mutations in the acetylcholinesterase gene of Bactrocera dorsalis associated with resistance to organophosphorus insecticides. Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol. 36, 396-402). Polyclonal antibodies specific to the purified isoenzymes and real-time PCR were also used to show that both the amount of the isoenzyme present and the expression levels of the ace genes were not significantly different between the R and S lines, indicating that quantitative changes in gene expression were not significantly contributing to the resistance phenotype. Overall, our results support a direct causal relationship between the mutations previously identified in the ace gene of this species and qualitative alterations of the structure and function of the AChE enzyme as the basis for the resistance phenotype. Our results also provide a basis for further comparisons of insecticide resistance phenomena seen in closely related species, such as Bactrocera oleae, as well as in a wide range of more distantly related insect species.     

Probabilities for survival of glassy-winged sharpshooter and olive fruit fly pests in urban yard waste piles

Glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homolodisca coagulate) and olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae) were introduced into unturned, chipped yard waste piles to evaluate their survival with time and depth within the piles. In all three trials, no pests lasted more than 14 d, and in no trial did pests survive more than 4d at the 30 and 100 cm depths. No survivors were found after 14 d in any of the treatments at any depth. Neither of the pests survived 100 cm after 2d. A mathematical model for describing pest survival probabilities is described. The model modifies time according to the Arrhenius equation in order to include heat effects on pest survival and can be used to determine exposure times necessary to eliminate these pests with a determined statistical probability. Model projections suggest that for conditions similar to this study, there is 99% confidence that all glassy-winged sharpshooter eggs would be eliminated from 1000 infected leaves in 6.1d at 15 cm depth and in 4.8d at 30 cm or below. Olive fruit fly larvae at these depths would require 4.8 and 4.1d, respectively, for 1000 infected olive fruits. Projected elimination times at the surface were longer, 6.5d for sharpshooter eggs and 14.3d for fruit fly larvae.     

四种杀虫剂对两种书虱羧酸酯酶和乙酰胆碱酯酶的抑制作用

选用有机磷类杀虫剂(敌敌畏、毒死蜱、对氧磷)和氨基甲酸酯类杀虫剂(丁硫克百威),通过生物测定(药膜法)和生化测定(比色法)比较了嗜卷书虱和嗜虫书虱对所选药剂的敏感差异性。根据LC50可知嗜虫书虱对所选药剂比嗜卷书虱敏感。离体酶活性分析结果显示嗜卷书虱和嗜虫书虱的羧酸酯酶只对敌敌畏敏感,且嗜卷书虱比嗜虫书虱更敏感;4种药剂对乙酰胆碱酯酶均有强烈的抑制作用,同样是嗜卷书虱比嗜虫书虱敏感。乙酰胆碱酯酶的动力学研究结果和离体酶活性测定相一致。聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳分析显示,4种杀虫剂离体条件下对2种书虱的酯酶同工酶的抑制能力有明显差异,其中敌敌畏的抑制力最强;但对不同同功酶的抑制趋势(对大分子的抑制似乎较强)是一致的。酶的敏感性分析结果与生测结果比较表明,2种书虱的耐药力差异与其乙酰胆碱酯酶和酯酶对药剂的敏感性无关。如要弄清耐药力机制,需做进一步研究。     

六种常用杀虫剂对八种蚜虫的选择毒性

作者自1982年开始研究了乐果、氧化乐果、抗蚜威、氰戊菊酯、溴氰菊酯和氯氰菊酯等6种杀虫剂对8种蚜虫的选择毒性.以桃粉大尾蚜Hyalopterus amygdali Blanchard为标准,氧化乐果对桃粉大尾蚜和瓜蚜Aphis gossypii Glover之间的选择毒性指数最高为163.77,乐果和抗蚜威分别是373.24和34.70,而氰戊菊酯仅为1.37.氰戊菊酯最高的选择毒性指数是在桃粉大尾蚜和麦长管蚜Sitobionavenae(F.)之间,也只有6.86,有机磷和氨基甲酸酯杀虫剂对不同蚜虫的选择毒性与乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE)对巯基试剂(DTNB)的敏感度有明显的相关性,说明其选择毒性与AChE的巯基结合部位有关.同时还发现,抗蚜威对洋槐蚜Aphis robiniae Macchiati和瓜蚜AChE的1₅₀值与其LC₅₀值表现一致.这些都说明了这两类杀虫剂对不同种蚜虫的选择毒性与AChE有关.氰戊菊酯和溴氰菊酯对蚜虫的选择毒性与α-乙酸萘酯羧酸酯酶的活性具有明显的相关性,而与β-乙酸萘酯羧酸酯酶的活性则无任何关系.氯氰菊酯的选择毒性与上述两种酯酶的活性没有任何相关性.     

Altered GPI modification of insect AChE improves tolerance to organophosphate insecticides

The olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae is the most destructive and intractable pest of olives. The management of B. oleae has been based on the use of organophosphate (OP) insecticides, a practice that induced resistance. OP-resistance in the olive fly was previously shown to be associated with two mutations in the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme that, apparently, hinder the entrance of the OP into the active site. The search for additional mutations in the ace gene that encodes AChE revealed a short deletion of three glutamines (??3Q) from a stretch of five glutamines, in the C-terminal peptide that is normally cleaved and substituted by a GPI anchor. We verified that AChEs from B. oleae and other Dipterans are actually GPI-anchored, although this is not predicted by the “big-PI” algorithm. The ??3Q mutation shortens the unusually long hydrophilic spacer that follows the predicted GPI attachment site and may thus improve the efficiency of GPI anchor addition. We expressed the wild type B. oleae AChE, the natural mutant ??3Q and a constructed mutant lacking all 5 consecutive glutamines (??5Q) in COS cells and compared their kinetic properties. All constructs presented identical K_m and k_cat values, in agreement with the fact that the mutations did not affect the catalytic domain of the enzyme. In contrast, the mutants produced higher AChE activity, suggesting that a higher proportion of the precursor protein becomes GPI-anchored. An increase in the number of GPI-anchored molecules in the synaptic cleft may reduce the sensitivity to insecticides.     

Culture independent survey of the microbiota of the glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca vitripennis) using 454 pyrosequencing

The glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar), is an invasive pest that has spread across the southern and western United States. H. vitripennis is highly polyphagous and voracious, feeding on at least 100 plant species and consuming up to 100 times its weight in xylem fluid daily. The insect is a vector of the phytopathogen Xylella fastidiosa (Wells), which is the causative agent of Pierce's disease in grapevines. To evaluate the microbial flora associated with H. vitripennis, total DNA extracts from hemolymph, alimentary canal excretions, and whole insect bodies were subjected to 16S rDNA pyrosequencing using the bTEFAP methodology and the resulting sequences (370-520 bp in length) were compared with a curated high quality 16S database derived from GenBank http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Species from the genera Wolbachia, Delftia (formerly Pseudomonas), Pectobacterium, Moraxella, Serratia, Bacillus, and many others were detected and a comprehensive picture of the microbiome associated with H. vitripennis was established. Some of the bacteria identified in this report are initial discoveries; providing a breadth of knowledge to the microbial flora of this insect pest can serve as a reservoir of information for developing biological control strategies.     

酶标板法监测棉蚜乙酰胆碱酯酶对杀虫剂的不敏感性

用酶标板法测定了不同浓度有机磷和氨基甲酸酯杀虫剂在反应不同时间内对棉蚜Aphis gossypii乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE)的抑制作用。结果表明有机磷杀虫剂甲基1605,辛硫磷,久效磷,氧乐果和乙酰甲胺磷对棉蚜AChE均无明显的抑制作用。当用0.01 mol/L灭多威与酶及底物反应1 h对北京棉蚜(敏感)种群AChE的抑制率可达82.4%,与反应2 h 89.4%仅差7%。因此以0.01 mol/L灭多威反应1 h测定棉蚜AChE对它的敏感性是合理的。通过测定北京地区寄主为鼠李和棉花以及山东高密寄主为棉花的棉蚜种群中个体AChE活性的分布和灭多威对其抑制的分布,表明3个棉蚜种群中AChE个体频率的分布差异不大,而灭多威对三个种群个体AChE的抑制率小于30%的个体分别为2.4%、16%和29%。抑制率大于70%的个体分别为72%、33%和1%,与生物测定结果一致。因此,用酶标板法测定棉蚜个体AChE对氨基甲酸酯的不敏感性频率可作为棉蚜对氨基甲酸酯抗性的监测技术,为棉蚜化学防治提供依据。     

Quantitative comparison of stylet penetration behaviors of glassy-winged sharpshooter on selected hosts

New Zealand is threatened by invasion of the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), an important vector of Xylella fastidiosa, a gram-negative bacterium that causes Pierce's disease in grape (Vitis spp.) and scorch diseases in many other horticultural crops. Therefore, an understanding of the host acceptability, feeding behavior, and potential vector efficiency of glassy-winged sharpshooter on New Zealand crops is important. We tested host plant acceptance and feeding behaviors of glassy-winged sharpshooter on three common horticultural crops grown in New Zealand (apple [Malus spp.], grape, and citrus [Citrus spp.]), and a native plant (Metrosideros excelsa [=tomentosa] Richard, pohutukawa), using the electrical penetration graph (EPG) technique. Probing (stylet penetration) behaviors varied among the host plants, primarily due to differences in waveform event durations. Apple and grape were the most accepted host plants, on which glassy-winged sharpshooter spent the majority of its time on the plant probing and readily located and accepted a xylem cell for ingestion. This resulted in long durations of sustained xylem fluid ingestion. In contrast, pohutukawa was the least accepted host. On this plant, glassy-winged sharpshooter spent less time probing and engaged in longer and more frequent testing/searching and xylem-testing activities, rejected xylem cells frequently, and spent less time with stylets resting, before accepting a xylem cell and ultimately performing the same amount of sustained ingestion. Citrus plants contaminated with sublethal insecticide residues were intermediate between these extremes, with some acceptance of xylem, but less ingestion, probably due to presumed partial paralysis of the cibarial muscles. Implications of the results in terms of host plant acceptance and the development of a stylet penetration index are discussed.     

Mechanisms of organophosphate resistance in a field population of oriental migratory locust, Locusta migratoria manilensis (Meyen)

The susceptibilities to three organophosphate (OP) insecticides (malathion, chlorpyrifos, and phoxim), responses to three metabolic synergists [triphenyl phosphate (TPP), piperonyl butoxide (PBO), and diethyl maleate (DEM)], activities of major detoxification enzymes [general esterases (ESTs), glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s)], and sensitivity of the target enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were compared between a laboratory-susceptible strain (LS) and a field-resistant population (FR) of the oriental migratory locust, Locusta migratoria manilensis (Meyen). The FR was significantly resistant to malathion (57.5-fold), but marginally resistant to chlorpyrifos (5.4) and phoxim (2.9). The malathion resistance of the FR was significantly diminished by TPP (synergism ratio: 16.2) and DEM (3.3), but was unchanged by PBO. In contrast, none of these synergists significantly affected the toxicity of malathion in the LS. Biochemical studies indicated that EST and GST activities in the FR were 2.1- to 3.2-fold and 1.2- to 2.0-fold, respectively, higher than those in the LS, but there was no significant difference in P450 activity between the LS and FR. Furthermore, AChE from the FR showed 4.0-fold higher activity but was 3.2-, 2.2-, and 1.1-fold less sensitive to inhibition by malaoxon, chlorpyrifos-oxon, and phoxim, respectively, than that from the LS. All these results clearly indicated that the observed malathion resistance in the FR was conferred by multiple mechanisms, including increased detoxification by ESTs and GSTs, and increased activity and reduced sensitivity of AChE to OP inhibition.