Using synergists to detect multiple insecticide resistance in field populations of rice stem borer

The rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker), an important insect pest of rice in China, has developed resistances to several classes of insecticides in field. In order to investigate multiple resistance mechanisms, synergistic tests were conducted with the Ruian (RA) population and Lianyungang (LYG) population, two representative populations to different insecticides. Results showed that diethyl maleate (DEM), S,S,S-tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF) and piperonyl butoxide (PBO), had no significant synergistic or inhibitory effect on the high level of resistance to monosultap (313.4-fold) and moderate level to chlorpyrifos (36.9-fold) in Ruian field population from the year 2011 (RA11). DEF significantly synergized the activity of triazophos in RA11 population (536.8-fold), with synergism ratio of 1.92. DEF and PBO significantly suppressed 43.3% and 40.4% of resistance to fipronil in RA11 population (48.4-fold), respectively, with the synergistic ratios of 1.76 and 1.69. When pretreated with PBO, the activity of deltamethrin against RA11 population were significantly synergized, with synergism ratio of 9.57, and with reducing resistance levels from 152.5- to 15.9-fold. The results of this study indicated that resistance to several classes of insecticide among the field populations of C. suppressalis might be provided by the combination of the multiple resistance mechanisms. Metabolic resistance mechanism might be the major reason for the evolution for resistance to deltamethrin and fipronil, while resistance to monosultap, triazophos and chlorpyrifos is not associated with metabolic resistance.

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► Synergistic tests were conducted for multiple resistance mechanisms of resistance field populations.
► Metabolic resistance mechanism might be the major reason for the evolution for resistance to deltamethrin and fipronil.
► Resistance to monosultap, triazophos and chlorpyrifos might be correlated with target resistance mechanism.