First Report of Alfalfa Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Resistance to Lambda-Cyhalothrin in Montana

Forage alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. [Fabales: Fabacae]) is a major agronomic crop grown nationally and Montana ranks highly in acres harvested. The alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica Gyllenhal [Coleoptera: Curculionidae]) is the primary defoliating pest that requires insecticide applications to prevent yield loss, particularly pyrethroid active ingredients (a.i.) that are both efficacious and cost-effective. Reports from commercial alfalfa producers in Big Horn County, MT, suggested local populations of alfalfa weevil had developed resistance to the pyrethroid a.i. lambda-cyhalothrin (type II pyrethroid). Chemical control is an important component of integrated pest management (IPM) of alfalfa weevil and the loss of pyrethroid a.i. as an effective tool would result in additional production costs. Two locations in southern Big Horn County and nine locations in four other Montana counties where resistance has not been reported were sampled and assayed for resistance to lambda-cyhalothrin. Populations from three counties were susceptible, the concentration causing 50% mortality (LC50) ranged from 0.02 to 0.10 µg/cm2. In contrast, populations from Big Horn County did not reach 50% mortality at the highest concentration of lambda-cyhalothrin tested (3.30 µg/cm2), indicating high levels of resistance have developed in these populations. A field trial in Big Horn County supported laboratory results of resistance; lambda-cyhalothrin at the highest label rate did not reduce alfalfa weevil populations. Additional bioassays suggest cross-resistance to zeta-cypermethrin (type II pyrethroid), but only partial cross-resistance to permethrin (type I pyrethroid).