Toxicity of novel neurotoxic insecticides on Tetranychus urticae and various phytophagous and predatory mite species.

Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) is a widespread pest that causes significant crop losses. Although acaricides are commonly used for its control, the development of resistance often leads to control failures under field conditions. Therefore, there is a constant need for new compounds with novel modes of action.

A novel target-site mutation (H146Q) outside the ubiquinone binding site of succinate dehydrogenase confers high levels of resistance to cyflumetofen and pyflubumide in Tetranychus urticae.

Mitochondrial electron transfer inhibitors at complex II (METI-II), also referred to as succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHI), represent a recently developed class of acaricides encompassing cyflumetofen, cyenopyrafen, pyflubumide and cyetpyrafen. Despite their novelty, resistance has already developed in the target pest, Tetranychus urticae. In this study a new mutation, H146Q in a highly conserved region of subunit B of complex II, was identified in a T.