Feeding deterrence and midgut histomorphological alterations in Spodoptera littoralis larvae treated with separate and combined imidacloprid and spinosad

Abstract

The widespread agricultural polyphagous insect pest Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) infests various crops especially the Egyptian cotton. Safer alternatives for insect pest control are needed due to the drawbacks of current insecticide used in agriculture settings. The neonicotinoid imidacloprid and the spinosyn biopesticide spinosad are widely used in crop systems to fight against a broad spectrum of phytophagous insect pests. Although spinosad and imidacloprid have been used in separate trials against S. littoralis , nothing is known about the impact of their binary mixing. Thus, the current research investigated the effects of imidacloprid at sublethal levels and spinosad alone and in combination on the antifeedant activity and the histomorphological