Pyrethroid and organophosphate resistance in the tobacco whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)

Abstract

Eleven strains of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), including a laboratory susceptible strain, were bioassayed as adults with three organophosphorus (OP) insecticides, three pyrethroids and one OP/pyrethroid combination. The contemporary strains were from diverse geographical areas and hosts and included examples of the A-, B-, and non-B-biotypes. All recent collections were multi-resistant to these insecticides which have been used extensively for their control. The patterns of cross-resistance for the OPs were clear but less so for the pyrethroids. All populations that resisted profenofos and cypermethrin also resisted the combination of profenofos and cypermethrin. Although the importance of selection pressure on levels of resistance was not easily quantifiable the highly selected populations exhibited the highest levels of resistance. The significant within, as well as between, biotype variation in resistance factors clearly indicated that insecticide resistance and biotype were not directly related. The roles of acetylcholinesterase sensitivity and general esterase activity in resistance to OPs and pyrethroids are discussed