Evaluating the impact of pyrethroid insecticide resistance on reproductive fitness in <i>Sitobion avenae</i>

Resistance to insecticides used control pests is an issue of increasing concern for agriculture. The grain aphid, Sitobion avenae, a pest cereals and grasses worldwide, one growing due the evolution resistance certain insecticides. confers benefits insects by enabling them survive exposure insecticide compounds; however, mutations conferring may also penalise insect in pesticide-free environments fitness costs associated with new phenotype. Here we tested hypothesis reproductive penalty linked knockdown mutation (kdr) pyrethroid occurs predominantly single SA3 clone. To date, only heterozygous-resistant forms (kdr-SR) have been detected populations Ireland UK, this suggests that preclude formation both male female sexual forms. By designing experiment which included resistant non-resistant clone, were able simulate reduced daylight temperature conditions which, nature, trigger reproduction therefore study responses each This allowed us detect switch from asexual females males report on production results showed aphid clones produce no difference onset reproduction, although strategies differed between clones. later clone decrease likelihood mating interactions create fully (kdr-RR) genotypes constitute resistance.