Assessment of resistance risk to lambda-cyhalothrin and cross-resistance to four other insecticides in the house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae)

Lambda-cyhalothrin, a sodium channel modulator insecticide, has been used frequently for the control of house flies, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae) worldwide, including Pakistan. This experiment was performed to determine the selection and assessment of lambda-cyhalothrin resistance evolution along with four other insecticides. After 26 generations of selection, the lambda-cyhalothrin-selected population developed 445-fold resistance to lambda-cyhalothrin compared to the susceptible population. There was low cross-resistance to bifenthrin and very low cross-resistance to methomyl, imidacloprid, and fipronil in the lambda-cyhalothrin-selected population compared to the field population (G1). Realized heritability (h2) of resistance to lambda-cyhalothrin, bifenthrin, methomyl, imidacloprid, and fipronil was 0.07, 0.05, 0.01, 0.08, and 0.08, respectively. The projected rate of resistance development revealed that if 90 % house flies were selected, then a tenfold increase in lethal concentration 50 occurred after 17, 20, 159, 13, and 14 generations for lambda-cyhalothrin (h2 = 0.07, slope = 2.09), bifenthrin (h2 = 0.05, slope = 1.73), methomyl (h2 = 0.01, slope = 2.52), imidacloprid (h2 = 0.08, slope = 1.89), and fipronil (h2 = 0.08, slope = 2.03), respectively. The results of our study concluded that the house fly has the potential to develop multiple insecticide resistances following continued selection pressure with lambda-cyhalothrin. This study will be helpful for assisting the development of resistance management strategies.