Detection of Chitin Synthase Mutations in Lufenuron-Resistant Spodoptera frugiperda in China

Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), is commonly known as fall armyworm, native to tropical and subtropical regions of America, is an important migratory agricultural pest. It is important to understand the resistance and internal mechanism of action of S. frugiperda against lufenuron in China. Lufenuron is one of the main insecticides recommended for field use in China and has a broad prospect in the future. We conducted a bioassay using the diet-overlay method and found that the current S. frugiperda in China are still at a low level of resistance to lufenuron. Secondly, we examined whether the mutation I1040M (I1042M in Plutella xylostella), associated with lufenuron resistance, was produced in the field. And then we tested the expression of chitin synthase SfCHSA and SfCHSB in different tissues, and the changes of these two genes after lufenuron induction. The results showed that there is still no mutation generation in China and there is a significant change in the expression of SfCHSA under the effect of lufenuron. In conclusion, our study suggests that field S. frugiperda populations in 2019 and 2020 were less resistant to lufenuron. In fall armyworm, chitin synthases included SfCHSA and SfCHSB genes, and after induction treatment with lufenuron, the expression of the SfCHSA gene was significantly increased. In SfCHSA, no mutation has been detected in the site associated with lufenuron resistance. Secondly, in S. frugiperda larvae, the SfCHSA gene was the highest in the head of the larvae, followed by the integument; while the SfCHSB gene was mainly concentrated in the midgut. Therefore, we believe that the SfCHSA gene plays a greater role in the resistance of S. frugiperda to lufenuron than the SfCHSB gene. It is worth noting that understanding the level of resistance to lufenuron in China, the main mechanism of action of lufenuron on larvae, and the mechanism of resistance to lufenuron in S. frugiperda will help in crop protection as well as in extending the life span of this insecticide.