Lethal and Sublethal Effects of Cyantraniliprole on the Biology and Metabolic Enzyme Activities of Two Lepidopteran Pests, Spodoptera littoralis and Agrotis ipsilon, and A Generalist Predator, Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Abstract

Cyantraniliprole is a novel anthranilic diamide insecticide registered for controlling chewing and sucking insect pests. Here, the lethal and sublethal effects of this insecticide on two destructive lepidopteran pests, Spodoptera littoralis Boisduval and Agrotis ipsilon Hufnagel, were evaluated. Because the effects of novel insecticides on beneficial and non-target arthropods must be considered, the impact of cyantraniliprole on a generalist biological control agent, Chrysoperla carnea [Stephens 1836], were also examined. Overall, our study revealed that cyantraniliprole was more toxic to A. ipsilon than to S. littoralis. Moreover, the LC15 and LC50 of the insecticide significantly prolonged the duration of the larval and pupal stages and induced enzymatic detoxification activity in both species. Treatment of the second-instar larvae of C. carnea with the recommended concentration of cyantraniliprole (0.75 mg/L) doubled the mortality rates and resulted in a slight negative effect on the biology and detoxification enzymes of C. carnea. Our results indicate that both sublethal and lethal concentrations of cyantraniliprole can successfully suppress S. littoralis and A. ipsilon populations. They also suggest that C. carnea, as a generalist predator, is compatible with cyantraniliprole under the modelled realistic field conditions. In future investigations, insights into the effects of cyantraniliprole on S. littoralis, A. ipsilon, and C. carnea under field conditions will be required to appropriately validate our results.