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Research reports on insecticide resistance in pests of potatoes
AHDB Potatoes co-funded a series of projects monitoring the sensitivity of aphids to insecticides. The focus was on aphids that transmit viruses in potato crops.
Click on the underlined project titles below to see more information and download the final reports
Resistance monitoring
Monitoring and managing insecticide resistance in UK pests (2012-2022)
- bioassays to monitor for evidence of reduced sensitivity to aphicides, primarily in peach-potato aphid (Myzus persicae)
- DNA-based diagnostics used to monitor the frequency of known resistances
- actives studied are cyantraniliprole, esfenvalerate, flonicamid, lambda-cyhalothrin, neonicotinoids, spirotetramat and sulfoxaflor
- information on reduced sensitivity to pyrethroids in willow-carrot aphids
11120055 Pyrethroid sensitivity in UK cereal aphids (2019–2021)
- bird cherry-oat aphid and grain aphid samples tested for their sensitivity to pyrethroids using bioassays
- frequency of the kdr mutation (conferring resistance to pyrethroids) in grain aphid samples from suction traps
- molecular assays developed to determine the population structure of grain aphids
- grain aphids shown to have the kdr mutation appeared to belong to a single clone (referred to as SA3)
R420 Sustaining the effectiveness of new insecticides against aphid pests in the UK (2009-2012)
- monitoring the occurrence and practical implications of resistance to older insecticides (pyrethroids, pirimicarb).
- developed baseline bioassays for newer compounds (flonicamid, pymetrozine).
- determined if there are fitness costs associated with resistance
- effect of dose and application method on resistance selection pressure
- screening potato aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae) and glasshouse potato aphid (Aulacorthum solani) for evidence of reduced sensitivity to aphicides
R250 Stewardship of neonicotinoid insecticides (2004-2007).
- monitoring M. persicae for evidence of resistance to neonicotinoids and other insecticides
LK0903 Combating insecticide resistance in peach-potato aphids in the UK (1997-2000)
- incidence of knock-down resistance (kdr) in M. persicae samples collected during 1997-2000
- bioassays applying imidacloprid and acetamiprid
- fitness costs associated with kdr or high levels (R2 and R3) of esterase resistance
Resistance management strategies
91120163 Testing insecticide resistance management strategies (2020-2023)
- testing the outputs from the modelling work (see below) using M. persicae in semi-lab conditions
- aim is to produce experimental evidence to inform the development of the next generation of insecticide resistance management guidance
21120005/1112 Combating insecticide resistance in major UK pests (2013-2016)
- mathematical modelling to predict the optimal management tactics to delay the development of target-site resistance