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Monitoring insecticide resistance in cotton leafhopper in relation to enzymatic activity in major cotton growing areas of central India
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  • Published: 16 February 2026

Monitoring insecticide resistance in cotton leafhopper in relation to enzymatic activity in major cotton growing areas of central India

  • V. Chinna Babu Naik1,2,
  • Lingutla Rajesh Chowdary3,
  • G. Nagaharish3,
  • V. S. Nagarare2,
  • Jasti Sri Vishnu Murthy4,
  • Gillesugur Sham Supreeth5,
  • T. N. Madhu6,
  • Sujit Kumbhare2,
  • Yenumula Gerad Prasad7 &
  • …
  • Keerthi Manikyanahalli Chandrashekara8 

Scientific Reports , Article number:  (2026) Cite this article

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Subjects

  • Entomology
  • Zoology

Abstract

Insecticide resistance complicates pest management by reducing chemical effectiveness and increasing environmental pollution from higher application rates. Monitoring resistance is essential before recommending chemicals in any agro-ecological region. The present study evaluated the extent and mechanisms of insecticide resistance in the cotton leafhopper, Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), across major cotton-growing regions of Maharashtra, India over five consecutive years, from 2015–16 to 2019–20 at ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) in Nagpur. The bioassay studies using IRAC protocols revealed that populations collected from the Amravati district of Maharashtra exhibited higher LC50 values for all tested insecticides, including Flonicamid 50WG, Thiamethoxam 25WG, Acetamiprid 20SP, Imidacloprid 17.8SL, Monocrotophos 36SL, Acephate 75SP, Clothianidin 50WDG, and Spiromesifen 22.9SC. The tentative discriminating doses were established based on a susceptible population of A. biguttula at 1, 0.2, 0.05, 0.01, 0.001, 0.0001, and a control of 0 ppm. Using standardized IRAC bioassay protocols, we assessed resistance levels for eight insecticides and noted significant increases in LC50 values. Notably, the A. biguttula biguttula populations from Yavatmal, Chandrapur, and Amravati exhibited critical resistance to neonicotinoids and other classes of insecticides. Biochemical assays revealed elevated activities of detoxifying enzymes, including cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, carboxylesterases, and glutathione S-transferases (GST), indicating metabolic resistance as a key mechanism. Notably, Amravati populations displayed the highest enzyme activities (e.g., GST up to 555.56 pmol/min/mg protein), correlating with intense insecticide use. These findings emphasize the need for integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, including insecticide rotation, biological controls, and resistant cotton hybrids, to mitigate insecticide resistance and minimise environmental impact. Regular monitoring of resistance and enzyme activity is essential for sustainable pest control in cotton ecosystems.

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Data availability

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article.

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Acknowledgements

The first author expresses gratitude to the Director, ICAR- CICR, Nagpur for providing financial assistance, support, and reliability throughout the study.

Funding

The authors received funding through in-house funding from ICAR- CICR, Nagpur to carry out the study was duly acknowledged. The manuscript is a part of “Elucidating eco-toxicity and resistance development in sucking pests against newer insecticides used in cotton” project.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Crop Protection, ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, 500030, India

    V. Chinna Babu Naik

  2. Division of Crop Protection, ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur, 440010, India

    V. Chinna Babu Naik, V. S. Nagarare & Sujit Kumbhare

  3. Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, RARS, Lam, Guntur, 522 034, Andhra Pradesh, India

    Lingutla Rajesh Chowdary & G. Nagaharish

  4. Department of Entomology, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, 680656, India

    Jasti Sri Vishnu Murthy

  5. Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, 584104, India

    Gillesugur Sham Supreeth

  6. Division of Crop Protection, ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Vittal, 574 243, India

    T. N. Madhu

  7. ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur, 440 010, India

    Yenumula Gerad Prasad

  8. Division of Crop Protection, ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, 560089, Karnataka, India

    Keerthi Manikyanahalli Chandrashekara

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Contributions

V.C.B.N.: Conceptualization, Study design, Writing – original draft. L.R.C.: Formal analysis, Writing – review & editing. N.G.: Formal analysis, Writing – review & editing. N.V.S.: Review, Editing, Supervision. J.S.V.M.: Formal analysis, Writing – review & editing. G.S.S.: Critical revision of the manuscript. M.T.N.: Review, Editing. S.K.: Investigation, Data collection (conducted the experiment). Y.G.P.: Review, Editing. K.M.C.: Formal analysis, Writing – review & editing, Validation.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. Chinna Babu Naik.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethical approval

Insect collection was conducted with minimal disturbance to habitats, using non-invasive sampling methods, and only the necessary number of specimens was collected to achieve statistically robust results. Collections were carried out in compliance with local regulations and guidelines for fieldwork.

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Chinna Babu Naik, V., Chowdary, L.R., Nagaharish, G. et al. Monitoring insecticide resistance in cotton leafhopper in relation to enzymatic activity in major cotton growing areas of central India. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-36055-7

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  • Received: 12 February 2025

  • Accepted: 09 January 2026

  • Published: 16 February 2026

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-36055-7

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Keywords

  • Insecticide resistance
  • Detoxifying enzymes
  • Neonicotinoids
  • Metabolic resistance
  • Cotton leafhopper
  • LC50 bioassay
  • Integrated pest management
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