Susceptibility to spinosad of western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), from south-eastern Spain was determined. LC(50) values of the field populations without previous exposure to spinosad collected in Murcia in 2001 and 2002 ranged from 0.005 to 0.077 mg L(-1). The populations collected in Almeria in 2003 in greenhouses were resistant to spinosad (LC(50) > 54 mg L(-1)) compared with the authors' highly susceptible laboratory strain. The highly sensitive laboratory strain leads to very high resistance ratios for the field populations (>13 500), but these ratios do not necessarily mean resistance problems and control failures (spinosad field rate 90-120 mg L(-1)). The populations collected in Murcia from some greenhouses in 2004 were also resistant to spinosad (RF > 3682). Spinosad overuse, with more than ten applications per crop, produced these resistant populations in some greenhouses. Spinosad showed no cross-resistance to acrinathrin, formetanate or methiocarb in laboratory strains selected for resistance towards each insecticide. Correlation analysis indicated no cross-resistance among spinosad and the other three insecticides in 13 field populations and in nine laboratory strains. The synergists piperonyl butoxide (PBO), S,S,S-tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF) and diethyl maleate (DEM) did not enhance the toxicity of spinosad to the resistant strains, indicating that metabolic-mediated detoxification was not responsible for the spinosad resistance. These findings suggest that rotation with spinosad may be an effective resistance management strategy.

The interactions between six insecticides (methiocarb, formetanate, acrinathrin, deltamethrin, methamidophos and endosulfan) and three potential synergists (piperonyl butoxide (PBO), S,S,S-tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF) and diethyl maleate (DEM)) were studied by topical exposure in strains selected for resistance to each insecticide, and in a susceptible strain of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande). In the susceptible strain PBO produced appreciable synergism only of formetanate, methiocarb and methamidophos. Except for endosulfan, PBO synergized all the insecticides to varying degrees in the resistant strains. A very high level of synergism by PBO was found with acrinathrin, which reduced the resistance level from 3344- to 36-fold. PBO slightly synergized the carbamates formetanate (4.6-fold) and methiocarb (3.3-fold). PBO also produced a high synergism of deltamethrin (12.5-fold) and methamidophos (14.3-fold) and completely restored susceptibility to both insecticides. DEF did not produce synergism with any insecticide in the resistant strains and DEM was slightly synergistic to endosulfan (3-fold). These studies indicate that an enhanced detoxification, mediated by cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases, is the major mechanism imparting resistance to different insecticides in F occidentalis. Implications of different mechanisms in insecticide resistance in F occidentalis are discussed.

Thirty-nine field populations of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) were collected from different crops (sweet pepper, tomato, lettuce, artichoke, melon, cucumber, carnation, broad bean, peach and plum) in Murcia (south-east Spain). All populations were reared separately in the laboratory to obtain enough individuals for bioassays. Female thrips were bioassayed, using a standard topical application method, against methiocarb, methamidophos, acrinathrin, endosulfan, deltamethrin and formetanate. Methiocarb was the only insecticide that showed a high efficacy against F occidentalis at field dose rates. Acrinathrin and methamidophos were moderately effective, while endosulfan and deltamethrin were ineffective. Only moderate levels of resistance (Resistance Ratios at LC50 of 10-30) were detected for the selective insecticides methiocarb, formetanate and acrinathrin used against F occidentalis in crops where these insecticides are used intensively. This generalized and low level of resistance to these insecticides, coupled with a lack of efficacy for the three broad-spectrum insecticides, was observed even in intensively managed vegetable crops. Implementation of IPM strategies in Murcia has contributed to more successful insecticide anti-resistance management.

Response of western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), to selection for resistance to insecticides commonly used to control this pest in Murcia (south-east Spain) was studied under field and laboratory conditions. In the field, plots within sweet pepper crops in commercial and experimental greenhouses were treated under different selection strategies: insecticide rotation versus formetanate reiteration, formetanate reiteration versus acrinathrin reiteration, and formetanate reiteration versus methiocarb reiteration. Thrips populations were sampled monthly and bioassayed against methiocarb, methamidophos, acrinathrin, endosulfan, deltamethrin and formetanate. In the laboratory, F occidentalis strains were selected against each insecticide for several generations. To evaluate cross-resistance, each selected strain was bioassayed with the other insecticides. Frankliniella occidentalis populations showed a rapid development of acrinathrin resistance, reaching high levels in field and laboratory conditions. Formetanate and methiocarb resistance were also observed, although development was slower and at moderate levels. Cross-resistances between acrinathrin/deltamethrin and acrinathrin/formetanate were detected under field and laboratory conditions. Formetanate/methiocarb cross-resistance was suspected in laboratory selections, but not in field assays. Simultaneous moderate resistance levels to the three specific insecticides against thrips (formetanate, methiocarb and acrinathrin) were shown in laboratory selection strains, indicating a general mechanism of resistance, probably metabolic.

The genetic basis of spinosad resistance was investigated in the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). The resistant strain, selected in the laboratory for spinosad resistance from a pool of thrips populations collected in Almeria (southeastern Spain), showed a very high resistance to spinosad (356,547-fold based on LC50 values) compared with the laboratory susceptible strain. Mortality data from reciprocal crosses of resistant and susceptible thrips indicated that resistance was autosomal and not influenced by maternal effects. Analysis of probit lines from the parental strains and reciprocal crosses showed that resistance was expressed as an almost completely recessive trait. To determine the number of genes involved, a direct test of monogenic inheritance based on the backcrosses suggested that resistance to spinosad was probably controlled by one locus. Another approach, which was based on phenotypic variances, showed that nE, or the minimum number of freely segregating genetic factors for the resistant strain, equaled 0.59.