Pest Management Science (2017) 73, 823-829

Erick Mauricio G. Cordeiro, Alberto S. Corrêa, Conrado A. Rosi-Denadai, Hudson Vaner V. Tomé and Raul Narciso C. Guedes (2017)
Insecticide resistance and size assortative mating in females of the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais)
Pest Management Science 73 (5), 823-829
Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Random mating is a common assumption in studies of insecticide resistance evolution, but seldom tested despite its potential consequences. Therefore, the existing evidence of female choice and insecticide resistance in populations of the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais), a key pest of stored cereals, led to the assessment of mating preferences and their association with insecticide resistance in this species.
RESULTS
Mixed lines of a maize weevil colony were established from field-collected populations, which after 5 months of natural breeding were selected for deltamethrin resistance for five generations, reaching over 100-fold resistance. Mating preference was significantly based on the partner size, measured as body mass (χ² = 5.83, df = 1, P = 0.016). Susceptible females preferred heavier males for mating (χ² = 5.83, df = 1, P = 0.015), a trait that was more frequently associated with deltamethrin resistance (χ² = 7.38, df = 1, P = 0.007). Deltamethrin resistance compromised daily fertility, although the reduced offspring production observed in matings between susceptible females and resistant males was negligible.
CONCLUSION
Susceptible female weevils prefer larger (and heavier) males to mate, a trait associated with deltamethrin resistance, favouring the maintenance and spread of the resistant phenotype in the population.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Raul Narciso C. Guedes

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
pesticide resistance of pest

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Sitophilus zeamais