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Title: STUDIES ON IMIDACLOPRID RESISTANCE IN BEMISIA WHITEFLIES

Author
item BYRNE, FRANK - U CA, RIVERSIDE, CA
item PRABHAKER, NILIMA - U CA, RIVERSIDE, CA
item TOSCANO, NICK - U CA, RIVERSIDE, CA
item NAUEN, RALF - BAYER AG AGROCHEM DIV
item Castle, Steven

Submitted to: Sweetpotato Whitefly Progress Review Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Imidacloprid is a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist belonging to the chloronicotinyl class of insecticides, and is one of the most effective insecticides currently available for the control of Bemisia infestations. Over exposure of insect populations can result in the development of resistance. Resistance to imidacloprid has now been reported in both field and laboratory populations. In Southern Spain, heavy reliance on imidacloprid to control the spread of geminivirus diseases in tomatoes has resulted in the development of resistant populations. Resistance has also developed in populations maintained in the laboratory under continuous selection pressure. There are no accounts of biochemical mechanisms involved in conferring resistance to imidacloprid in Bemisia. We are investigating the potential role of MFO-based metabolism using radiolabelled (14C) imidacloprid. An assay has been developed which will detect metabolites of imidacloprid. Microsomal preparations of susceptible Bemisia collected from Imperial Valley have been compared with similar preparations from housefly abdomens. We detected no metabolites in experiments using these field strains, whereas the houseflies readily produced significant amounts of mono-hydroxy derivatives, and to a lesser extent the olefin. Our preliminary data suggest that there is little potential for the metabolism of imidacloprid by susceptible whitefly populations.