Effects of abamectin sublethal doses on the invasive pest Tuta absoluta: Integration of population parameters and...

The tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), is a destructive invasive pest of tomato worldwide. In this study, we combined sublethal bioassays with transcriptomic profiling to assess the transgenerational impacts of abamectin and to identify genes associated with development, reproduction, and detoxification. Exposure to LC₁₀ and LC₂₀ significantly delayed development in the parental generation and reduced pupation, adult emergence, and fecundity. These adverse effects carried over to the offspring, which exhibited prolonged pupal duration, reduced reproduction, and lower population parameters compared with the control. RNA-seq analysis revealed 82 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) shared across treatments, with 34 upregulated and 48 downregulated. Developmental (JHBP) and reproductive (Vg, VgR) genes were strongly suppressed, while detoxification-related genes, such as cytochrome P450s, were significantly upregulated. Functional validation through RNAi-mediated silencing of CYP304F1 or CYP339A1 resulted in significantly increased abamectin-induced mortality compared to controls, confirming their involvement in abamectin detoxification. These results demonstrate that abamectin exerts transgenerational sublethal effects on T. absoluta, reducing fecundity but enhancing detoxification capacity, suggesting a fitness trade-off. This study provides molecular insights into the ecological consequences of abamectin exposure and supports its potential role as a component of integrated pest management strategies against T. absoluta.