Regional and temporal variation in susceptibility to lambda-cyhalothrin in onion thrips, Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), in onion fields in New York

Populations of onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, from commercial onion fields in New York were evaluated for their susceptibility to the commonly used pyrethroid, lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior T), using a novel system called the Thrips Insecticide Bioassay System (TIBS). To use TIBS, thrips are collected directly from the plant into an insecticide-treated 0.5-ml microcentrifuge tube that has a flexible plastic cap with a small well into which 0.08 ml of a 10% sugar-water solution with food colorant is deposited. The solution is sealed into the well with a small piece of stretched parafilm through which the thrips can feed on the solution. Thrips mortality is assessed after 24 h with the help of a dissecting stereoscope. In 2001, onion thrips populations were collected from 16 different sites and resistance ratios were >1,000 in five populations. Percent mortality at 100 ppm, a recommended field rate, varied from 9 to 100%, indicating high levels of variation in susceptibility. Particular instances of resistance appeared to be the result of practices within an individual field rather than a regional phenomenon. In 2002, we also observed large differences in onion thrips susceptibility, not only between individual fields but also between thrips collected in a single field at mid season and late season, again suggesting that insecticide-use practices within an individual field caused differences in susceptibility. Additional tests indicated no differences in susceptibility between adult and larval onion thrips populations and only relatively minor differences between populations collected from different parts of the same field. Using TIBS, several populations of onion thrips with different susceptibilities to lambda-cyhalothrin were identified and then subjected to lambda-cyhalothrin-treated onion plants. There was a highly significant positive relationship between percent mortality of thrips from TIBS and percent mortality from the treated onion plants, indicating that results from TIBS could be used to predict spray performance. These data suggest that use of TIBS for evaluating susceptibility to particular insecticides could be instrumental for developing a resistance management strategy for onion thrips.     

Impact of straw mulch on populations of onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in onion

Development of insecticide resistance in onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), populations in onion (Allium spp.) fields and the incidence of the T. tabaci transmitted Iris yellow spot virus have stimulated interest in evaluating alternative management tactics. Effects of straw mulch applied in commercial onion fields in muck areas of western New York were assessed in 2006 and 2007 as a possible onion thrips management strategy. In trials in which no insecticides were applied for thrips control, straw mulch-treated plots supported significantly lower T. tabaci populations compared with control plots. In both years, the action thresholds of one or three larvae per leaf were reached in straw mulch treatments between 7 and 14 d later than in the control. Ground predatory fauna, as evaluated by pitfall trapping, was not increased by straw mulch in 2006; however, populations of the common predatory thrips Aeolothrips fasciatus (L.) (Thysanoptera: Aeolothripidae) were significantly lower in straw mulch plots in both years. Interference of straw mulch in the pupation and emergence of T. tabaci was investigated in the lab and their emergence was reduced by 54% compared with bare soil. In the field the overall yield of onions was not affected by the straw mulch treatment; however, the presence of jumbo grade onions (>77 mm) was increased in 2006, but not in 2007. These results indicate that populations of T. tabaci adults and larvae can be significantly reduced by the use of straw mulch without compromising overall onion yield. The use of this cultural practice in an onion integrated pest management program seems promising.     

Advances in control of onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in cabbage

Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), feeding injury results in discoloration and a rough texture on cabbage, Brassica oleracea capitata (L.), leaves, and damage may occur deep inside the head. It has become a key pest of cabbage in the United States and many other countries. Previous studies have indicated poor control using insecticides. The present study identified imidacloprid drenches and sprays of acetamiprid, dimethoate, spinosad, and imidacloprid as insecticides that performed better than the industry standard, lambda-cyhalothrin. However, additional tests with foliar sprays of dimethoate and acetamiprid indicated there was not an ideal crop stage (precupping, cupping, or postcupping) at which either insecticide could be applied for reliable control of T. tabaci, possibly because of multiple flights of thrips into the crop or the asynchrony of flights and susceptible crop stages. In tests in a commercial field, a soil drench of imidacloprid 4 wk after transplanting reduced the number of damaged leaves in the head by 32%, whereas five sprays of acetamiprid reduced damage by 51%. Combining both insecticide regimes reduced damage by 85%, but resulted in a very costly management program. Cabbage varieties varied considerably in susceptibility with some having negligible thrips injury, regardless of being treated with an insecticide. Planting date affected susceptibility of cabbage to some degree, but not as much as other tactics. Overall, these studies indicate that increased emphasis should be placed on breeding cabbages to be resistant to T. tabaci as the foundation for its management.     

福建省烟粉虱田间种群抗药性发展及其影响因素

采用成虫浸叶生测法对福建省不同地区烟粉虱田间种群的抗药性发展进行监测.结果表明： 福建各地烟粉虱田间种群对氯氟氰菊酯、甲氰菊酯、毒死蜱仍保持较高水平抗性,对灭多威的抗性水平较低,对阿维菌素未产生明显的抗药性;烟粉虱田间种群对烟碱类杀虫剂的抗性发展极为迅速,其中漳州种群对吡虫啉、噻虫嗪已由2005年的中等水平抗性（抗性倍数分别为23和25倍）发展为2009年的高水平抗性（抗性倍数分别为103和228倍）,其他地区种群对吡虫啉、噻虫嗪也由2005年的低水平抗性（抗性倍数分别为1.5～3.3倍和1.7～5.5倍）发展为2009年的中等水平抗性（抗性倍数分别为23～33倍和29～49倍）.采用mtDNA CO I分子标记技术对福建省不同地区和寄主植物上采集的8个烟粉虱种群的生物型进行鉴定发现,采自漳州变叶木上的烟粉虱种群为本地土著种(未知生物型),其他7个采自大田蔬菜作物的烟粉虱种群均为B型.寄主植物和温度对烟粉虱种群的药剂敏感性影响有限,吡虫啉等烟碱类杀虫剂高强度使用是B型烟粉虱田间种群对该类型药剂迅速形成抗性的重要原因.     

Evaluation of sampling methodology for determining the population dynamics of onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Ontario onion fields

Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, are an economic pest of alliums worldwide. In Ontario onion-growing regions, seasonal abundance and population trends of onion thrips are not well known. The objectives of this research were to investigate onion thrips population dynamics by using both white sticky traps and plant counts, to gain insight into flight height, and to determine the genus and sex of thrips fauna present in monitored fields. Adult thrips were captured on white sticky traps placed in two commercial onion fields in the Thedford-Grand Bend Marsh region as early as mid-May in 2001, 2002, and 2003. Thrips were not recorded on onion plants in these fields until late June and early July. A comparison of sticky trap captures to plant counts revealed a strong, positive correlation, indicating that sticky traps, which consistently detected thrips earlier than plant counts, could be used instead of plant counts early in the season to monitor onion thrips populations. Pole traps placed in onion and an adjacent soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., field revealed that regardless of crop type, most thrips were captured 0.7-0.95 m above the soil surface. During this study, 70% of 137,000 thrips captured on sticky traps and 89% of 1,482 thrips captured in pan traps were female onion thrips. No male onion thrips were identified in this study: most of the remaining thrips were Frankliniella spp.     

Onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae): a global pest of increasing concern in onion

During the past two decades, onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), has become a global pest of increasing concern in commercial onion (Allium cepa L.), because of its development of resistance to insecticides, ability to transmit plant pathogens, and frequency of producing more generations at high temperatures. T. tabaci feeds directly on leaves, causing blotches and premature senescence as well as distorted and undersized bulbs. T. tabaci can cause yield loss > 50% but can be even more problematic when it transmits Iris yellow spot virus (family Bunyaviridae, genus Tospovirus, IYSV). IYSV was identified in 1981 in Brazil and has spread to many important onion-producing regions of the world, including several U.S. states. IYSV symptoms include straw-colored, dry, tan, spindle- or diamond-shaped lesions on the leaves and scapes of onion plants and can cause yield loss up to 100%. Here, we review the biology and ecology of T. tabaci and discuss current management strategies based on chemical, biological, and cultural control as well as host resistance. Future directions for research in integrated pest management are examined and discussed.     

两种盲蝽的抗药性监测

本文从2009到2011年连续3年用马拉硫磷、毒死蜱、灭多威、三氟氯氰菊酯、吡虫啉、硫丹6种杀虫药剂诊断剂量监测了河北、河南、山东、安徽等重要棉产区绿盲蝽Apolygus lucorum(Meyer-Dür)田间种群的抗药性。2010年马拉硫磷诊断剂量处理河北邱县、安徽望江田间种群死亡率95%以上;毒死蜱诊断剂量河南郑州、山东滨州,安徽地区的田间绿盲蝽死亡率大于80%;三氟氯氰菊酯诊断剂量死亡率接近95%以上;2010年安徽望江、2011年河北邱县、山东滨州、安徽无为田间种群在吡虫啉诊断剂量下的死亡率在78%～90%。点滴法对2011年各地绿盲蝽种群抗药性监测表明,各地绿盲蝽对毒死蜱、灭多威、吡虫啉均处于敏感阶段,对于马拉硫磷、三氟氯氰菊酯、硫丹大多处于低抗水平阶段。在对中黑盲蝽Adelphocoris suturalis Jakovlev3年的抗性监测中,作者发现种群抗性个体频率的出现更为普遍。     

Overwintering locations and hosts for onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in the onion cropping ecosystem in New York

Identifying locations where onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), overwinter and subsequently disperse is important for designing control strategies. In upstate New York from 2003 through 2006, potential overwintering sites in the commercial onion, Allium cepa L., cropping system were investigated early in the spring before onion seedling emergence and again late in the season after onions were harvested. Onion thrips adults were sampled directly from the soil and indirectly from the soil by using emergence cages. Sampling locations included onion field interiors and edges and areas outside of these fields, including woods. Host material sampled included onion culls; volunteer onions, which sprout from cull onions left behind after harvest; and weeds. Onion thrips adults were found in all sections of onion fields and in locations outside of onion fields, with the fewest emerging from woods. Emergence began in early May and extended into June. Peak emergence occurred during the last half of May, at which time 50-75% of the population had emerged. Adults colonized volunteer onions as early as late March and as late as mid-November. No adults were found overwintering in onion cull piles. Adults also colonized several weed species, especially pigweed, Amaranthus hybridis L., and lambsquarters, Chenopodium album L., late in the fall. Our results indicate that onion thrips adults overwinter in the soil within and near onion fields and that they probably colonize volunteer onion plants before subsequent generations infest the onion crop in the spring. Volunteer onions and weeds also provide onion thrips with a host after onions are harvested. Consequently, onion thrips management strategies should include tactics that reduce volunteer onion and weed abundance.     

Susceptibility of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) strains from central Colombia to two insecticides, methomyl and lambda-cyhalothrin: a study of the genetic basis of resistance

Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an important pest of several crops in the western hemisphere. This insect has genetically differentiated into two host-associated populations: the corn (Zea mays L.) and the rice (Oryza sativa L.) strains. The corn strain also is found in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and sorghum and the rice strain in Bermuda grass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] and millet. In the United States and Brazil, lines from corn, rice, Bermuda grass, and millet were used to evaluate the resistance of both strains to various insecticides, and found that the corn strain is more resistant than the rice strain. However, in these studies the larvae were not genotyped. In Colombia, genotyping of fall armyworm is necessary because the rice strain also can be found in corn fields. In this work, collected larvae from corn and rice fields from Tolima (central Colombia) were genotyped and evaluated for the resistance to methomyl and lambda-cyhalothrin. We found that the rice strain does not significantly differ in resistance to methomyl compared with the corn strain but it develops tolerance more rapidly to lambda-cyhalothrin. The eggs viability of treated females also was significantly affected by methomyl on each generation. The realized heritability of resistance was higher for lambda-cyhalothrin (0.23-0.42) than for methomyl (0.04-0.14). The number of generations needed for 10-fold increase in resistance is approximately 11.5 generations for methomyl and 6.5 for lambda-cyhalothrin. Finally, the genetic basis of resistance to both insecticides involves few recessive autosomal genes. The results obtained here suggest that methomyl is a better option than lambda-cyalothin to control fall armyworm.     

Onion maggot (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) resistance to chlorpyrifos in New York onion fields

A larval immersion bioassay was developed to identify susceptibility of onion maggot, Delia antiqua (Meigen) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), to chlorpyrifos and to determine whether this assay could be used to predict control in onion fields. Laboratory colonies were established from larvae collected in New York onion fields during 2003 and 2004, providing us with test insects to use in bioassays. The larval assay effectively determined susceptibility of D. antiqua to chlorpyrifos, and results were congruent with an adult bioassay. However, use of similar-aged larvae (4 d old) in the assays was critical because larvae became more tolerant to chlorpyrifos as they aged. In a field survey, six of the 13 populations had LC50 values above the recommended field rate of 3,600 ppm (range 4,031-6,869). Over two successive seasons in the same field, susceptibility of D. antiqua to chlorpyrifos decreased in two of three fields (by 45 and 42%) and remained the same in another field, indicating that resistance is not predictable from year to year. Based on the relationship between damage in the field and LC50 values from 11 of the populations mentioned above, all five populations that had LC50 values above the field rate caused unacceptable levels of damage, whereas five of six populations that had LC50 values below the field rate did not cause serious damage.     

Characterization of resistance, evaluation of the attractiveness of plant odors, and effect of leaf color on different onion cultivars to onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), is a worldwide pest of onion, Allium cepa L. In field studies on onion resistance conducted in 2007 and 2008 using 49 cultivars, 11 showed low leaf damage by T. tabaci. In laboratory studies, the 11 cultivars, along with two susceptible checks and four additional cultivars, were evaluated to characterize resistance to T. tabaci and to determine if color and/or light reflectance were associated with resistance to T tabaci. No-choice tests were performed with adults and the numbers of eggs and larvae were counted on each cultivar after three and 10 d, respectively. In choice tests in which all cultivars were planted together in a circle in a single pot, 100 adults were released and the number of adults on each plant was evaluated 24 h later. The behavioral response of walking T. tabaci adults to plant odors was studied in a glass Y-tube olfactometer. The reflectance spectrum of leaves was measured using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Results indicate that resistant cultivars showed an intermediate-high antibiotic effect to T. tabaci and all of them showed a very strong antixenotic effect. There were no significant preferences in the response of walking T. tabaci adults to plant odors. The two susceptible cultivars had the highest values of leaf reflectance for the first (275-375 nm) and second (310-410 nm) theoretical photopigment-system of T. tabaci, and these values were significantly different from most resistant cultivars. These results suggest a strong response of T. tabaci to onion cultivars with higher reflectance in the ultraviolet range (270-400 nm). Overall, these results appear promising in helping to identify categories of resistance to T. tabaci in onions that can be used in breeding programs.     

Sweetpotato whitefly resistance to insecticides in Hawaii: Intra-island variation is related to insecticide use

Susceptibility to acephate, methomyl, and permethrin was determined with laboratory bioassays of field-collected adults from 15 populations of the B biotype of sweetpotato whitefly,Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Homoptera:Aleyrodidae), from Hawaii. Comparisons at the LC₅₀ showed up to 24-fold resistance to acephate, 18-fold resistance to methomyl, and 4-fold resistance to permethrin. Analysis of variance showed significant intra-island variation in susceptibility to each insecticide, but no significant variation among islands. Insecticide use varied from 4 to 103 insecticide sprays per site per season. Acephate and methomyl were used more often than permethrin. The frequency of application and LC₅₀ for each insecticide were positively correlated across sites. These results suggest that local variation in insecticide use was a primary cause of variation in susceptibility. If local insecticide use is a key determinant of resistance, as our results suggest, growers can retard resistance development locally by reducing their own insecticide use.     

北京地区西花蓟马田间种群的抗药性监测

采用叶管药膜法在室内测定了2009—2010年北京海淀地区和昌平地区西花蓟马Frankliniella occidentalis(Pergande)田间种群对12种杀虫剂敏感性的年度变化。结果表明,北京昌平和海淀地区的西花蓟马对多数的药剂仍处于敏感状态,但对氯氟氰菊酯已产生近40倍的抗性,昌平种群对多杀菌素具有产生低水平抗性的趋势(抗性倍数为4倍)。推荐药剂包括多杀菌素、阿维菌素、甲氨基阿维菌素苯甲酸盐(甲维盐)、毒死蜱和溴虫腈,应注意与其它药剂的轮换使用,灭多威对西花蓟马的毒力水平最低,不推荐使用。     

烟粉虱田间种群的抗药性

采用成虫浸叶生测法分别测定了福建省福州、漳州、龙岩、三明、南平、宁德等地烟粉虱田间种群对13种杀虫剂的抗性.结果表明,福建省6个烟粉虱田间种群对氯氟氰菊酯、甲氰菊酯、氯氰菊酯、溴氰菊酯、乙酰甲胺磷、毒死蜱产生了高水平抗性,抗性倍数分别达838.38～2460.52、244.64～834.29、116.02～266.35、81.75～124.18、425.18～875.56和54.53～78.43倍,对乐果产生了中等水平抗性,抗性倍数达14.16～17.66倍,对敌敌畏产生了中等偏低水平的抗性,抗性倍数达6.23～11.25倍,对灭多威的抗性水平较低,抗性倍数仅为4.07～5.66倍.漳州种群已对烟碱类杀虫剂产生了中等水平抗性,对吡虫啉、啶虫脒和噻虫嗪的抗性倍数分别达23.08、10.32和24.60倍,而其它地区烟粉虱种群对吡虫啉、啶虫脒和噻虫嗪的抗性水平较低,甚至不明显,抗性倍数分别仅为1.31～3.28、1.82～7.23和1.39～5.45倍.福建省各地区烟粉虱种群对阿维菌素尚未产生明显的抗药性.     

Assessment of insecticide resistance after the outbreak of diamondback moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) in California in 1997

During an outbreak of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), in California in 1997, nine populations were collected from the major broccoli areas throughout the state. Populations were assayed for their susceptibility to currently used materials (Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, permethrin, and methomyl) and to newer materials that had not yet been commercially used in California (spinosad, emamectin benzoate, and chlorfenapyr). For the currently used insecticides, elevated levels of resistance were seen only with permethrin and seven of the nine populations had tolerance ratios (TR) of > 100. With the newer chemistries, TR values were all < 15. To compare potential cross-tolerance, TR values of the currently used insecticides were compared with TR values of the newer insecticides. There were significant relationships found between: methomyl and emamectin benzoate, methomyl and spinosad, and permethrin and spinosad. Further biochemical studies are needed to confirm the actual mechanisms that lead to these relationships and field tests are needed to determine what impact, if any, such TR levels would have on control in the field. These data indicate that resistance to at least one of the commonly used insecticides (permethrin) may have played a role in the outbreak during 1997. However, other factors may have been at least equally important. The winter of 1996-1997 was warmer than normal, and during the period from February through August of 1997 the amount of rainfall was < 50% of normal. Hot and dry conditions are known to be conducive to outbreaks of P. xylostella. These data add to an overall knowledge about the geographic variation of resistance in P. xylostella populations within the United States. They also serve as a baseline for monitoring changes in susceptibility to these newer insecticides and can also help explain the occurrence of outbreaks caused by factors other than insecticide resistance.     

The occurrence and species composition of thrips (Thysanoptera) on onion

The aim of the present research work was to investigate the population density and species composition of thrips infesting crops of onion in South Poland. The flight activity of thrips was monitored using blue sticky traps and plant samples were taken to record the number of adult and Larvae of thrips on onion. In 2004 the thrips were caught into blue sticky traps from the start of June to the end of the first decade of September. The peak flight activity was noticed in the middle of July. In 2004 the significant growth of the numerousness of adult thrips on onion grown from seeds was recorded in the middle and in the third decade of August, whereas on onion grown from sets in the first decade of August. Thrips larvae were not observed during the whole vegetation season. In 2005, the thrips were caught into blue sticky traps form the half of June to the first decade of September. The peak flight activity was noticed in the first decade of August. In 2005 the rapid growth of the numerousness of adult thrips on onion grown from seeds was recorded in the third decade of July. The highest number of adult thrips on onion grown from sets was noticed at the beginning of August. Thrips larvae were observed on onion grown from seeds in the third decade of July and at the end of the second decade of August. In both years of observations the most numerous species was Frankliniella intonsa Tryb. The second most numerous species was Thrips tabaci Lindeman. In 2004, the most numerous species was predacious Aeolothrips intermedius Bagnall.     

Biotypes B and Q of Bemisia tabaci and their relevance to neonicotinoid and pyriproxyfen resistance

Resistance monitoring for Bemisia tabaci field populations to the juvenile hormone mimic, pyriproxyfen, was conducted from 1996 to 2003 in commercial cotton fields in two areas of Israel: the Ayalon Valley (central Israel) and the Carmel Coast (northwestern Israel). Although the use of pyriproxyfen ceased in these areas in 1996-1997 (because of the resistance), resistance levels to pyriproxyfen declined to some extent in the fields but remained quite stable, and the susceptibility has not been totally restored. Two strains of B. tabaci collected from the Ayalon Valley in the late 1999 and 2002 cotton seasons (AV99L, AV02L) were assayed for their susceptibility to pyriproxyfen at F1, and subsequently a line of each strain was kept under controlled conditions without exposure to insecticides. After maintenance of more than 20 generations under laboratory conditions, the resistance to pyriproxyfen in the untreated strains substantially declined. This decline was concurrent with a replacement of Q biotype by B-type under non-insecticidal regimes; apparently B biotype was more competitive than the pyriproxyfen-resistant Q-type. Selection under controlled conditions with neonicotinoids on these B. tabaci strains resulted in continued pyriproxyfen resistance, predominantly of Q biotype. Based on our data, applications of either pyriproxyfen or neonicotinoids may select for biotype Q, which would survive to a greater degree where these insecticides are applied.     

Residues of profenofos in spring onion

Profenofos is one of the commonly used insecticides in the control of Trips tabaci on spring onion in Iran. Residues of profenofos in spring onion were determined in two different fields under the same conditions. In the first field, onion plants were sprayed with profenofos (40EC) at the rate of 1000 g/ha. Spraying was repeated 2 weeks later. In the second field one spraying was preformed at the same rate. Spring onionwere sampled at different time intervals and analyzed for profenofos residues using a GC equipped with NPD detector. In the first field's samples, the residues were 0.097 and 0.025 mg/kg at 2 and 6 days after spraying, respectively. The residues declined to 0.002 mg/kg on the day twelve. Two days after the second spraying the residues was 0.27 mg/kg, which reduced to 0.032 on the day sixth. However the residues were not detectable 32 days after the second spraying. In the second field, residue levels were 0.193 and 0.043 mg/kg at 2 and 6 days after spraying. Residues, which found after 32 days, were less than 0.001 mg/kg. The rate of residue decay in the first field was higher than the second field.     

Cross-resistance to insecticides in a malathion-resistant strain of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Resistance to malathion has been reported in field populations of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), in areas of Spain where an intensive use of this insecticide was maintained for several years. The main goal of this study was to determine whether resistance to malathion confers cross-resistance to different types of insecticides. Susceptibility bioassays showed that the malathion-resistant W-4Km strain (176-fold more resistant to malathion than the susceptible C strain) has moderate levels of cross-resistance (three- to 16-fold) to other organophosphates (trichlorphon, diazinon, phosmet and methyl-chlorpyrifos), the carbamate carbaryl, the pyrethroid lambda-cyhalothrin, and the benzoylphenylurea derivative lufenuron, whereas cross-resistance to spinosad was below two-fold. The W-4Km strain was selected with lambda-cyhalothrin to establish the lambda-cyhalothrin-resistant W-1Klamda strain (35-fold resistant to lambda-cyhalothrin). The synergistic activity of the esterase inhibitor DEF with lambda-cyhalothrin and the increase in esterase activity in the W-1Klamda strain suggests that esterases may be involved in the development of resistance to this insecticide. Our results showed that resistance to malathion may confer some degree of cross-resistance to insecticides currently approved for the control of Mediterranean fruit fly in citrus crops (lambda-cyhalothrin, lufenuron, and methyl-chlorpyrifos). Especially relevant is the case of lambda-cyhalothrin, because we have shown that resistance to this insecticide can rapidly evolve to levels that may compromise its effectiveness in the field.     

Relationship between onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) and Stemphylium vesicarium in the development of Stemphylium leaf blight in onion

Stemphylium leaf blight caused by Stemphylium vesicarium and onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) are two common causes of leaf damage in onion production. Onion thrips is known to interact synergistically with pathogens to exacerbate plant disease. However, the potential relationship between onion thrips and Stemphylium leaf blight is unknown. In a series of controlled laboratory and field trials, the relationship between thrips feeding and movement on the development and severity of Stemphylium leaf blight were examined. In laboratory assays, onions (“Avalon” and “Ailsa Craig”) with varying levels of thrips feeding damage were inoculated with S. vesicarium. Pathogen colonisation and leaf dieback were measured after 2 weeks. In pathogen transfer assays, thrips were exposed to S. vesicarium conidia, transferred to onion and leaf disease development was monitored. In field trials, insecticide use was examined as a potential indirect means to reduce Stemphylium leaf blight disease and pathogen colonisation by reducing thrips damage. Results from laboratory trials revealed that a reduction in thrips feeding decreased S. vesicarium colonisation of onion leaves by 2.3–2.9 times, and decreased leaf dieback by 40–50%. Additionally, onion thrips were capable of transferring S. vesicarium conidia to onion plants (albeit at a low frequency of 2–14% of plants inoculated). In field trials, the symptoms and colonisation of Stemphylium leaf blight were reduced by 27 and 17%, respectively with the use of insecticide to control thrips. These results suggest that onion thrips may play a significant role in the development of Stemphylium leaf blight, and thrips control may reduce disease in commercial onion fields.