An insecticide resistance diagnostic kit for whitebacked planthopper Sogatella furcifera (Horvath)

Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) is a notorious pest in most rice-producing regions of Asia, and evidence of resistance of S. furcifera to various insecticides has been documented in many areas. Given that the risk of insecticide resistance has spread, prospective monitoring should be expedited. Diagnostic tools for the rapid and accurate assessment of insecticide resistance are urgently needed to implement pest control and effective insecticide resistance management strategies. In the present study, a diagnostic kit based on the glass vial bioassay for the rapid detection of resistance to imidacloprid, nitenpyram, clothianidin, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam, isoprocarb and chlorpyrifos in S. furcifera was developed. The detection results can be obtained in 1 h, and the determination of ≥ 90% mortality indicates sensitivity to insecticides. The insecticide resistance levels diagnosed by the kit were consistent with the results of the rice seedling dip method in field populations of S. furcifera. Moreover, the accuracy of the diagnosis of nitenpyram and chlorpyrifos resistance was further verified by field trials. The insecticide resistance diagnostic kit for S. furcifera, as a user-friendly tool (portable, short detection time), can be easily popularized. Its excellent performance qualifies the kit as a reliable screening tool to determine effective insecticides and a convenient addition to integrated pest management programs.