Insecticide resistance and fitness cost in Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) invasive and resident species in La Réunion Island

• Published in: Pest management science Vol. 76; no. 4; pp. 1235 - 1244
• Main Authors: Taquet, Alizée, Delatte, Hélène, Barrès, Benoit, Simiand, Christophe, Grondin, Martial, Jourdan‐Pineau, Hélène
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.04.2020; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: acetamiprid; Agricultural economics; Agricultural ecosystems; Agricultural sciences; agroecosystems; Agronomy; Animals; arthropod; Bemisia tabaci; Bioassays; Biological evolution; chemical treatments; East Asia; Far East; field‐evolved resistance; Fitness; Hemiptera; High resistance; Hybridization; Indian Ocean; insect pests; Insecticide Resistance; Insecticides; Introduced species; invasive species; Life Sciences; Middle East; Organic chemistry; pest management; pesticide application; Pesticide resistance; Populations; pymetrozine; Reproductive fitness; Reunion; selection pressure; toxicity; Turkey (country); Reunion; Far East; Indian Ocean; Middle East; East Asia; Turkey (country); field-evolved resistance; toxicity; arthropod; pest management; chemical treatments
• ISSN: 1526-498X; 1526-4998; 1526-4998
• DOI: 10.1002/ps.5633

BACKGROUND Global and intensive use of insecticides has led to the emergence and rapid evolution of resistance in the major pest Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). In La Réunion, an island of the South West Indian Ocean, three whitefly species coexist, two of which are predominant, the indigenous Indian Ocean (IO) and the invasive Middle East Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) species. To assess the resistance level of both of these species to acetamiprid and pymetrozine, whitefly populations were sampled at 15 collection sites located all over the island in agroecosystems and natural areas, and tested using leaf‐dip bioassays. We also investigated the potential cost of resistance to acetamiprid by measuring six fitness‐related traits for MEAM1 populations that displayed different resistance levels. RESULTS IO was mainly found in natural areas and was susceptible to both acetamiprid and pymetrozine. MEAM1 populations displayed evidence of high resistance to pymetrozine, whereas resistance to acetamiprid was more variable. No fitness‐related costs were associated with this resistance in MEAM1 populations. CONCLUSION This is the first assessment of the susceptibility to insecticides for B. tabaci IO species. For the time being, no resistance to the tested insecticides has evolved in this species despite (i) its presence in agroecosystems and their surroundings, and (ii) its close proximity to, and possible hybridization with, the MEAM1 species. In contrast, with continuous selection pressure of insecticide treatments and in the absence of fitness cost to resistance, the invasive exotic species MEAM1 will continue to threaten agriculture in La Réunion. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry Cryptic species pose challenges in term of integrated pest management, especially regarding pesticide resistance. This study investigated the resistance status of two cryptic Bemisia tabaci species in La Réunion Island.