Field evolved resistance to pyrethroids, neonicotinoids and biopesticides in Dysdercus koenigii (Hemiptera: Pyrrhocoridae) from Punjab, Pakistan

The red cotton bug, Dysdercus koenigii (Fabricius) is an important emerging economic pest of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum Linnaeus in Pakistan. Insecticides are the primary management tactics to suppress populations of this pest. However, resistance to insecticides evolves due to substantial and repeated applications. The resistance to pyrethroids, neonicotinoids and biopesticides have been evaluated in many pests worldwide, nevertheless lack of information in D. koenigii. Therefore, the aforementioned insecticide resistance in five field populations of D. koenigii collected from Multan, Makhdoom Rashid, Jahanian, Lodhran and Vehari districts of Punjab, Pakistan during 2015–2017 was determined by using seed dip method. Based on the present results, D. koenigii has developed moderate to very high resistance to acetamiprid (RR = 33–433) and imidacloprid (RR = 21–173), low to high resistance to emamectin benzoate (RR = 14–52), and very low to high resistance to spinosad (RR = 4.13–54), compared to the susceptible population. However, all field populations of D. koenigii remained susceptible to deltamethrin (RR = 0.62–2.17) and lambda-cyhalothrin (RR = 0.91–1.97). A rotational use of pyrethroids with provision of other integrated pest management tactics is recommended to manage insecticide resistance in D. koenigii. Resistance levels of the Dysdercus koenigii field populations collected from Punjab, Pakistan to six insecticides. [Display omitted] •Insecticide resistance in eight field populations of Dysdercus koenigii from Pakistan was monitored during 2015 to 2017.•Very high resistance to acetamiprid (433-fold) and imidacloprid (173-fold) was found in D. koenigii.•Very low to high resistance to spinosad (4.1–54-fold) and emamectin benzoate (14–52-fold) was found.•Dysdercus koenigii populations showed no resistance to deltamethrin (0.6–2.2fold) and lambda-cyhalothrin (0.4–2.3fold).