Insecticide resistance in pepper greenhouse populations of Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Korea

Abstract

The cotton aphid or melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a polyphagous insect pest with a wide host range. Two distinct genetic clusters were found in A. gossypii populations in Korea. To determine whether the division of the genetic clusters was driven by insecticide selection pressure, the frequencies of insecticide resistance-associated mutations on three representative insecticide target genes [i.e., nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene (nAChR), voltage-gated sodium channel gene (vgsc), and acetylcholinesterase 1 gene (ace-1)] were predicted in A. gossypii populations with known genetic structures. Most populations revealed heterozygosity-resistant alleles for the nAChR R81T and vgsc M918L mutations, but homozygous-resistant alleles for the ace-1 S431F mutation. However, assessment of the three mutation frequencies revealed no apparent correlation between the genetic structures and the resistance profiles. The regression analysis revealed no correlation between the genetic cluster ratios and resistance allele frequencies (R81T, S431F, and M918L). We used three insecticides that are commonly used in greenhouses: imidacloprid (neonicotinoid), acephate (organophosphate), and esfenvalerate (pyrethroid), to test resistance and susceptibility in A. gossypii populations. The bioassay results revealed that the BS_19 (Busan) and JE_19 (Jeongeup) populations were resistant to imidacloprid and acephate, the HS_19 (Honseong) population was resistant to acephate and esfenvalerate, and susceptible lab strains only exhibited resistance to acephate. The bioassay results were correlated with mutation frequency, but no correlation was detected among genetic clusters. These results suggest that the distinct genetic structure observed in the Korean populations of A. gossypii is not likely influenced by insecticide resistance traits, but rather by other factors.

Keywords: Aphis gossypii; Insect pest; Neonicotinoid; Organophosphate; Pyrethroid; Resistance allele.