Detoxifying enzyme studies on cotton leafhopper, Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida), resistance to neonicotinoid insecticides in field populations in Karnataka, India

The cotton leafhopper (Amrasca biguttula biguttula Ishida) is considered to be an alarming insect pest causing both quantitative and qualitative loss in cotton. In situ bioassay studies were done and the role of detoxifying enzymes in conferring resistance to neonicotinoid groups of insecticides in low (MUD), medium (DVG), high (HVR) and very high (GLB) pesticide usage areas of Karnataka were determined. Bioassay studies showed that imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, acetamiprid, thiacloprid and clothianidin registered varying levels of resistance for all the locations studied. The resistance ratio was high in imidacloprid (3.35, 8.57, 9.15 and 12.27 fold respectively) and the lowest in dinoferuran (1.86, 5.13, 6.71 and 9.88 fold respectively). Furthermore, the enzyme activity ratio (glutathione-S-transferase) was relatively greater, and corresponded to the higher LC50 values of neonicotinoids for very high, high, medium and low pesticide usage areas. Our study suggested that the higher activity of the detoxifying enzyme in the resistance population of cotton leafhopper apparently has a significant role in endowing resistance to neonicotinoid groups of insecticides. However, this study recommends using neonicotinoids in cotton growing areas with caution.