Population Susceptibility to Insecticides and the Development of Resistance in Bactrocera cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Excessive insecticide applications are commonly used to manage Bactrocera cucurbitae Coquillett in China. Resistance status, resistance development trends, and patterns of cross-resistance to insecticides in B. cucurbitae were investigated. Among 21 populations from Hainan Island, two populations expressed high resistance to beta-cypermethrin; seven, eight, and ten populations expressed intermediate resistance to spinosad, avermectin, and beta-cypermethrin, respectively; four, six, one, five, and four populations expressed low resistance to spinosad, avermectin, trichlorfon, beta-cypermethrin, and fipronil, respectively; and the remaining populations exhibited either minor resistance or remained susceptible. Analysis of the development of resistance showed that resistance levels to spinosad and avermectin were readily developed at 40.68- and 18.42-fold, respectively, and a spinosad-resistant strain also showed relative positive cross-resistance to beta-cypermethrin and avermectin, but relative negative cross-resistance to trichlorfon and fipronil. These data represent the most extensive survey of insecticide resistance conducted in B. cucurbitae to date, and the level of insecticide resistance in populations should be considered when designing control measures and pest management strategies.