Sublethal Effects of Insect Growth Regulators on Boll Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Immature stages of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boh. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), develop protected inside cotton fruiting structures. Therefore, the adult beetles have become the main target of insecticide applications. The use of insect growth regulators (IGRs) is recommended against immatures, even though they may also affect the survival and reproductive traits of adult insects. The present study evaluated the impact of a juvenile hormone analog (pyriproxyfen), an ecdysteroid agonist (methoxyfenozide), and a chitin biosynthesis inhibitor (lufenuron) on adult cotton boll weevils, a key cotton pest. Mated and virgin beetles were treated by feeding them contaminated squares and cotton leaf discs that were previously immersed into pyriproxyfen, methoxyfenozide, and lufenuron solutions at field-rate concentrations. After exposure, treated couples were caged onto cotton plants, and survival, fecundity, and egg viability were evaluated. The IGRs neither affected the survival nor fecundity of adult boll weevils. On the other hand, egg viability was significantly reduced by lufenuron, regardless of whether the females were treated premating or postmating or whether their pairs were either treated or untreated. However, egg viability increased as the females aged since the initial exposure date to lufenuron, indicating a potential transovarial effect of this insecticide. Our results indicate that pyriproxyfen and methoxyfenozide do not affect adult boll weevils, whereas lufenuron temporarily reduces the egg viability of this key cotton pest.