Detoxification enzymes associated with flupyradifurone resistance in greenhouse whitefly

Abstract

AbstractGreenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood) occurs frequently in protected areas of north China and is a serious threat to vegetables. Chemical control is the main method used to kill greenhouse whitefly; however, this has led to the selection of resistance to chemical pesticides. Therefore, the study of pesticide resistance is of great significance for the sustainable management of greenhouse whitefly. From 2019 to 2021, the development of flupyradifurone resistance in greenhouse whitefly was assessed in the entomological Laboratory of Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University of China. After F7 generations of screening, the resistance increased 15.33 times. Synergistic agents were significantly enhanced, and the activities of multifunctional oxidase, carboxylesterase, and glutathione sulfur transferase were significantly increased in resistant strains compared with sensitive strains of the greenhouse whitefly. Sixteen detoxifying enzyme genes were detected by using RT‐PCR, and the expression levels of 11 detoxifying enzyme genes were significantly increased in resistant strains. These include eight P450 genes in the CYP4, CYP6, CYP18, CYP301, CYP304, and CYP314 families; two CarE genes in the Clade C and Clade E families; and one GST gene in the Sigma family. Several of these family members have been reported as detoxification enzyme genes of metabolic insecticide. This study showed that P450, CarE and GST together resulted in moderate resistance to flupyradifurone in greenhouse whitefly. The analysis revealed several overexpressed detoxification enzyme genes that will be the focus of future studies on the mechanism of resistance to flupyradifurone.