Host-mediated insecticide sequestration in target-site-resistant pests impacts parasitoid fitness and evolution.
Target-site-resistant pests retain insecticide residues that impair parasitoid fitness and drive parallel resistance evolution across species.
- Why it matters: Understanding how insecticide resistance affects ecological interactions is crucial for developing sustainable pest management strategies and preventing unintended consequences.
- What they did: The study examined neonicotinoid- and spinosyn-resistant Myzus persicae and genetically modified Drosophila melanogaster exposed to high doses, tracking toxin transfer to parasitoids and resistance mutations across species.
- The result: Resistant hosts transfer insecticides to parasitoids, reducing their emergence, lifespan, and size, with resistance mutations evolving in parasitoids, revealing coevolution and ecological costs of resistance.