Insecticides are commonly utilized in agriculture and
forestry
for pest control, but their dispersal can pose hazards to humans and
environment. Understanding resistance, inheritance patterns, and fitness
costs can help manage resistance. A λ-cyhalothrin-resistant
population (LCR) of Cydia pomonella, a global pest of pome fruits and walnuts, was obtained through
selective insecticide breeding for 15 generations, showing stable
moderate resistance (23.85-fold). This population was cross-resistant
to deltamethrin (4.26-fold) but not to β-cypermethrin, chlorantraniliprole,
chlorpyrifos, and avermectin. Genetic analysis revealed the resistance
was autosomal, incompletely dominant, and controlled by multiple genes.
Increased activity of glutathione S-transferases and cytochrome P450
monooxygenases (P450s) played a primary role in resistance, with specific
genes up-regulated in LCR, and exhibited significant expression in
midgut. LCR also exhibited fitness costs, including delays in development,
reduced fecundity, and slower population growth. These findings contribute
to understanding λ-cyhalothrin resistance in C. pomonella and can guide resistance management
strategies.