Since 1998 the tobacco aphid (Myzus persicae nicotianae) has been reported to produce severe damage to the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) industry in central Chile. With the aim to evaluate the insecticide resistance of this aphid in Chile, we collected 40 populations along a 200 km range which were subjected to leaf dip bioassays, esterase activity tests and sequencing of the kd gene. Furthermore, microsatellite markers were used to evaluate the genetic diversity of the aphid populations studied. All collected populations were composed by the same clone, which was anholocyclic under the environmental conditions prevailing in the tobacco growing area in Chile. This aphid clone was found susceptible to the pyretroid, carbamate, organophosphate and neonicotinoid insecticides tested. Esterase activity was variable, but the main part of the samples were susceptible or with low levels of resistance, while the kd gene was also found in a susceptible state. The recent introduction of this aphis pest into Chile seems to be result of a single invasion of an insecticide susceptible clone, unable to interbreed with Myzus persicae from other crops under our local conditions. Chemical control of this aphid pest should be managed including recommendations to avoid the development of resistance.
Species 1: Homoptera Aphididae Myzus persicae
Keywords: insecticide resistance, tobacco
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