Differential Expression of P450 Genes and nAChR Subunits Associated With Imidacloprid Resistance in Laodelphax striatellus (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

Imidacloprid is a key insecticide used for controlling sucking insect pests, including the small brown planthopper (Laodelphax striatellus, Fallen) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), an important agricultural pest of rice. A strain of L. striatellus (YN-ILR) developed 21-fold resistance when selected with imidacloprid on a susceptibleYN strain. An in vitro study on piperonyl butoxide synergism indicated that enhanced detoxification mediated by cytochrome P450s contributed to imidacloprid resistance to some extent, and multiple P450 genes showed altered expression in the imidacloprid-resistantYN-ILR strain compared with the susceptibleYN strain (CYP42581-CYP68D10 had 1.51-to 11.45-fold higher expression, CYP4CE2-CYP4DD1V2 had 0.12- to 0.57-fold lower expression). While there were no mutations in target nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) genes, subunits of Lsal, Lspl, and LsP3 in theYN-ILR strain showed 3.86-, 4.39-, and 2.59-fold higher expression and Lsa8 displayed 0.38-fold lower expression than theYN strain. Moreover, 21-fold moderate imidacloprid resistance in individuals of L. striatellus did not produce a fitness cost. The findings suggest that L. striatellus has the capacity to develop resistance to imidacloprid through P450 detoxification and potential target nAChR expression changes, and moderate imidacloprid resistance was not associated with a fitness cost.