Toxicity and Resistance Status of Musca domestica against Bifenthrin and Dimethoate from Bhalwal, Punjab, Pakistan

Muhammad Khalid Mukhtar*, Sania Waliat, Shafaat Yar Khan, Naila Amjad

Department of Zoology, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract | The house fly (Musca domestica) is a pest that acts as a vector of various diseases. Chemical insecticides are used on large scale for the effective and quick management of this pest but it has developed resistance against various insecticides in many countries of the world. This study was designed to check the resistance in M. domestica against selected insecticides from Bhalwal as no previous work has been reported from this area. Flies were collected from two different localities i.e., location 1 (L1) was Chak 07 SB Bhalwal (32°14’52.3”N 72°55’25.5”E) and location 2 (L2) was Chak 02 NB Bhalwal (32°19’20.1”N 72°54’56.5”E), Punjab, Pakistan. The flies were reared in mesh-cages and maintained on an artificial diet in the lab. Lab strain flies were collected from area where minimum insecticides were used. Flies from the F1 generation were used in the bioassays. The results showed that LC50 for the lab strain against bifenthrin and dimethoate was 11.068 µg/ml and 8.879 µg/ml, respectively. LC50 for field strains, Bhalwal L1 and L2, against bifenthrin was 96.184 µg/ml and 130.903 µg/ml, respectively whereas against dimethoate it was 74.340 µg/ml and 84.531 µg/ml, respectively. The resistance ratios for field strains of locations 1 and 2 against bifenthrin were 8.690 fold and 11.827 fold, respectively whereas these were 8.372 fold and 9.520 fold against dimethoate, respectively. In conclusion, the study revealed varying levels of resistance to bifenthrin and dimethoate that suggest cautious application of these pesticides for the control of M. domestica.

Novelty Statement | The resistance status of Musca domestica against selected insecticides has been first time studied from Bhalwal, Punjab, Pakistan

Article History

Received: May 05, 2021

Revised: May 28, 2021

Accepted: June 09, 2021

Published: June 20, 2021

Authors’ Contributions

MKM deigned and supervised the study and wrote the manuscript. SW and NA collected research material and conducted the experiments. SW helped in write up. SYK guided and assisted in execution of experiments and analysis of data.

Keywords

Toxicity, Resistance status, Musca domestica, Bifenthrin, Dimethoate, Bhalwal, Pakistan

Corresponding Author: Muhammad Khalid Mukhtar

mkmukhtar@gmail.com

To cite this article: Mukhtar, M.K., Waliat, S., Khan, S.Y. and Amjad, N., 2021. Toxicity and resistance status of Musca domestica against bifenthrin and dimethoate from Bhalwal, Punjab, Pakistan. Punjab Univ. J. Zool., 36(1): 119-123. https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.pujz/2021.36.1.119.123

Introduction

The house fly is a synanthropic pest with worldwide distribution. It prefers to lay eggs in moist organic matter; therefore, its population is more abundant in livestock, poultry ranches, dairy cattle sheds, horse corrals, and pig ranches, which provide favorable conditions to complete life cycle. The Musca domestica carries various disease-causing agents when it feeds and resides on filthy places such as the decomposing matter, humans and animals waste (Malik et al., 2007; Deguenon et al., 2019; Suwannayod et al., 2019).

The house fly (M. domestica) secretes digestive juices, enzymes, and saliva on food and then sucks liquefy food using proboscis. As they may take food from unhygienic places, so the germs may stick to their mouth and other parts and when these flies land on the human food they transfer the disease-causing agents. It is a major public health pest and a vector of more than 100 pathogens of humans and domestic animals including protozoans, bacteria, viruses, and helminths (Forster et al., 2007; Malik et al., 2007; Scott et al., 2009; Attaullah et al., 2019; Zahoor et al., 2020).

Different methods are being used for the control of M. domestica but it is mainly controlled by the use of chemical insecticides viz. pyrethroids, carbamates, organophosphates, organochlorines neonicotinoids, and others (Deguenon et al., 2019). These insecticides have different modes of action, pyrethroids function by halting the closure of voltage gates of sodium channels present in the membrane of the axon (Scott et al., 2009); organophosphates obstruct the activity of cholinesterases and acetylcholinesterases, interrupt nerve impulses and result in killing or disabling the insect.

From the estimated 10000 arthropod pests, 553 species are reported to have insecticide resistance. The main problem in controlling pests is the resistance of pesticides (Sharififard and Safdari, 2013). Due to the extensive use of insecticides, the house fly has developed resistance to them (Azzam and Hussein, 2002; White et al., 2007; Jin and Feng, 2001) and it has successfully adapted to most insecticides (Ghosal, 2018) and it is one of 20 species that have shown the highest resistance to insecticides and is placed in the fifth row. This insect has become resistant to 44 different chemical insecticides, and its resistance is found to be due to a specific gene expression in the adult and larvae (Whalon et al., 2008).

Monitoring of M. domestica population`s susceptibility to insecticides is required for the effective use of insecticides. Early detection of an insect pest’s resistance to chemical insecticides and selecting a more effective strategy to control them can efficiently reduce operational, financial, and social losses (Sharififard and Safdari, 2013).

Increased frequency and application rate is a major cause of resistance to pesticides and consequently, insecticides effectiveness decreased. Insecticides are applied by farmers to control grain crops from pests. In Pakistan, farmers do not use insecticides according to their specificity and these trends are very important in developing resistance against pests (Khan et al., 2013a, b; Abbas et al., 2015).

The resistance in house fly has been recorded in various countries, including Pakistan (Khan et al., 2013b, c; Kaufman et al., 2006; Deacutis et al., 2006; Acevedo et al., 2009). However, no data was available on the resistance status of M. domestica against different insecticides in the area of Bhalwal. The current study was conducted to check the level of resistance in M. domestica against bifenthrin (pyrethroid) and dimethoate (organophosphate), from two locations of Bhalwal, Punjab, Pakistan and to promote a constructive resistance management programme as well as to provide baseline details for upcoming tracking.

Materials and Methods

Collecting and rearing

With the help of sweep-netting, adults of Musca domestica were collected from two different locations of Bhalwal, Punjab, Pakistan. The first locality (L1) was Chak 07 SB Bhalwal, Punjab, Pakistan (32°14’52.3”N 72°55’25.5”E) while the second locality (L2) was Chak 02 NB Bhalwal, Punjab, Pakistan (32°19’20.1”N 72°54’56.5”E). The flies were taken to the laboratory for colonization. The adult flies were reared in mesh-cages with a dimension of 40 × 30 × 30 cm3. Adult flies feed consisted of icing sugar and milk in powdered form in a 1:1 ratio and water. A mixture of sugar, powdered milk, yeast, and water was prepared for larvae to feed and these items were mixed in a ratio 0.3:0.3:1:4, respectively following Bell et al. (2010). The flies were kept in the lab following Khan et al. (2013a) and flies from F1 were used for bioassays. The lab strain flies were gathered from such areas in which there was minimum use of insecticides and then reared in a laboratory for three generations to be used as control. The Lab strain (3rd generation) was not completely susceptible but values of LC50 of this particular strain were much less and, in the future, it provided us a baseline for resistance determination (Ahmed and Arif, 2009).

Insecticides and bioassay

Two insecticides in commercial-grade, bifenthrin (Eco Pest Solutions, 20.5 % SC) and dimethoate (Hi-Grade Chemicals, 40% EC) were used for residual bioassay. Four concentrations each for bifenthrin (0.8 ml/2ml, 0.6 ml/2ml, 0.4 ml/2ml and 0.2 ml/2ml) and dimethoate (8.4 ml/2ml, 4.53 ml/2ml, 0.67 ml/2ml and 0.33 ml/2ml) were prepared. Residual bioassays were performed using insecticide-treated filter papers (12×14 cm); set in bioassay tubes while tubes with only distilled-water-treated filter papers were served as control according to the World Health Organization (2006). Fifteen flies were introduced into each tube provided with adult diet to avoid starvation during the bioassays. Flies were given exposure for one hour after that they were transferred to clean bioassay susceptibility tubes for 24 hours observation. Mortality data was recorded at four-hour intervals till 24 hours. The flies that survived after 24 hours of insecticide exposure were considered resistant. Three replicates were performed for both insecticides.

Data analysis

The probit analysis was carried out with help of SPSS to assess the values of LC50, slope and chi square. The data were corrected by the use of the Abbott formula (Abbott, 1925).

 

Table 1: Toxicity of bifenthrin and dimethoate to adults of Musca domestica from Bhalwal, Punjab, Pakistan.

Insecticide	Population	LC50[µg/ml] (95%Cl)	Slope (± SE)	χ2	df	RR (95%)
Bifenthrin	Lab Strain	11.068 (5.456-18.567)	1.322±0.71	1.713	2
	Field Strain L1	96.184 (64.276-136.654)	2.136 ±0.48	9.196	2	8.690
	Field Strain L2	130.903 (94.215-167.295)	2.604±0.47	10.119	2	11.827
Dimethoate	Lab Strain	8.879 (4.162-15.792)	1.18±0.66	0.491	2
	Field Strain L1	74.340 (53.112-105.467)	1.68±0.45	1.256	2	8.372
	Field Strain L2	84.531(53.220-136.09)	1.65±0.4	2.197	2	9.520

 

Resistance ratio (RR)= LC50 of field population/ LC50 of Lab susceptible population.

 

Results and Discussions

The residual bioassays results showed that the LC50 for lab strain against bifenthrin and dimethoate was 11.068 µg/ml and 8.879 µg/ml, respectively. LC50 for field strains, Bhalwal location 1 and 2, against bifenthrin was 96.184 µg/ml and 130.903 µg/ml, respectively whereas against dimethoate it was 74.340 µg/ml and 84.531 µgm/ml, respectively. The resistance ratio against bifenthrin was 8.690 fold for field strain of location 1 and 11.827 fold for field strain of location 2. Slopes of both tested populations computed from the Probit analysis (Table 1) against bifenthrin were steeper as compared to the Lab strain. For dimethoate, value of resistance ratio was 8.372 fold for field strain of location 1 and 9.520 fold for field strain of location 2. Slopes of both tested populations against dimethoate were steeper as compared to lab strain. In tested Musca domestica, very low to low resistance level to bifenthrin was observed and its resistance ratio was ranging from 8.690-11.827 fold, whereas with dimethoate very low resistance level was observed and its resistance ratios were ranging from 8.372-9.520 fold (Table 1).

In this study, a very low to low resistance level was observed to bifenthrin with resistance ratios ranging from 8.690-11.827. Various pyrethroid insecticides, such as bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, and deltamethrin, have been used in Pakistan to combat various pests of crops, dairy animals, and poultry (Saleem et al., 2008; Muhammad et al., 2008; Khan et al., 2013c; Ranian et al., 2021). Resistance against pyrethroids have been identified in a number of different insect pests, including tobacco cutworm, spotted bollworm, diamondback moth, house mosquito, coding moth, and American bollworm (Sauphanor et al., 2000; Kranthi et al., 2001; Sayyed et al., 2005; Daaboub et al., 2008; Saleem et al., 2008; Ahmad and Arif 2009; Faheem et al., 2013; Abbas et al., 2014).

Pyrethroid insecticides are being used to control the different types of pests and this wide range of use might be the cause of pyrethroid resistance in Pakistan. The results of the present study also revealed low resistance level against bifenthrin. There was < tenfold resistance ratio in house fly against dimethoate. The results are consistent with the fact that the selected localities had the usage of bifenthrin and dimethoate against different insect pests, which might be reflected in the development of insecticide resistance in M. domestica. Various organophosphate insecticides are utilized to control various pests in different cities of Punjab and high resistance level in M. domestica was recorded by various researchers from different cities of Punjab (Saleem et al., 2008; Khan et al., 2011, 2013c; Shad et al., 2012) and also globally (Cheikh et al., 2009; Wang et al., 2010). However, resistance to insecticides is a spatio-temporal phenomenon that changes with time and space. Therefore, resistance expression in M. domestica from Bhalwal is different from the results of the above studies. The process of resistance development can be slowed down by environment sanitation and proper disposal of waste and by doing this feeding and breeding sites of flies can be eliminated (Learmount et al., 2002; Malik et al., 2007; Khan et al., 2012).

Conclusions and Recommendations

The results indicated that housefly did not show high resistance against bifenthrin and dimethoate from both selected areas but it showed higher resistance against bifenthrin as compared to dimethoate. In future resistance against other insecticides should also be checked to view the boarder spectrum of insecticide resistance in housefly from the selected area. The use of insecticides should be monitored and insecticides having different modes of actions should be used in rotation to avoid the development of resistance.

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

References

Abbas, N., Ijaz, M., Shad, S.A. and Khan, H., 2015. Stability of field-selected resistance to conventional and newer chemistry insecticides in the house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae). Neotrop. Entomol., 44: 402-409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-015-0290-9

Abbas, N., Shad, S.A., Razaq, M., Waheed, A. and Aslam, M., 2014. Resistance of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to profenofos: Relative fitness and cross resistance. Crop Protect., 58: 49-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2014.01.002

Abbott, S.W., 1925. A method of computing the effectiveness of an insecticide. J. Econ. Entomol., 18: 265–267. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/18.2.265a

Acevedo, G.R., Zapater, M. and Toloza, A.C., 2009. Insecticide resistance of house fly, Musca domestica (L.) from Argentina. Parasitol. Res., 105: 489-493. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-009-1425-x

Ahmed, M. and Arif, M.I., 2009. Resistance of Pakistani field populations of spotted bollworm Earias vittella (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to pyrethroid, organophosphorus and new chemical insecticides. Pest Manage. Sci., 65: 433–439. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.1702

Attauallah., Zahoor, M.K., Zahoor, A.Z., Mubarik, M.S., Rizvi, H., Majeed, N.H., Zulhussnain, M., Ranian, K., Sultana, K., Imran, M. and Qamer, S., 2019. Insecticidal, biological and biochemical response of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) to some indigenous weed plant extracts. Saudi J. Biol. Sci., 27: 106-116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2019.05.009

Azzam, S. and Hussein, E., 2002. Toxicities of several insecticides to the house fly Musca domestica from different regions in Jordan. Sarhad J. Agric., 18: 69-75.

Bell, H.A., Robinson, K.A. and Weaver, R.J., 2010. First report of cyromazine resistance in a population of UK house fly (Musca domestica) associated with intensive livestock production. Pest Manage. Sci., 66: 693-695. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.1945

Cheikh, R.B., Berticat, C., Berthomieu, A., Pasteur, N., Cheikh, H.B. and Weillm M., 2009. Genes conferring resistance to organophosphorus insecticides in Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) from Tunisia. J. Med. Entomol., 46: 523-530. https://doi.org/10.1603/033.046.0317

Daaboub, J., Cheikh, R.B., Lamari, A., Jha, I.B., Feriani, M., Boubaker, C. and Cheikh, H.B., 2008. Resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) from Tunisia. Acta Trop., 107: 30-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2008.04.014

Deacutis, J.M., Leichter, C.A., Gerry, A.C., Rutz, D.A., Watson, W.D., Geden, C.J. and Scott, J.G., 2006. Susceptibility of field collected house flies to spinosad before and after a season of use. J. Agric. Urban Entomol., 23: 105-110.

Deguenon, J.M., Zhu, J., Denning, S., Reiskind, M.H., Watson, D.W. and Roe, R. M., 2019. Control of Filth Flies, Cochliomyia macellaria (Diptera: Calliphoridae), Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae), and Sarcophaga bullata (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Using novel plant derived methyl ketones. J. Med. Sci., 56: 1704-1714. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjz107

Faheem, U., Nazir, T., Saleem, M.A., Yasin, M. and Bakhsh. M., 2013. Status of Insecticide Resistance in Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) in Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Sarhad J. Agric., 29: 563-572.

Forster, M., Klimpel, S., Mehlhorn, H., Sievert, K., Messler, S. and Pfeffer, K., 2007. Pilot studies on synantropic flies (e.g. Musca, Sarcophaga, Calliphora, Fania, Lucilia Stomoxys) as vectors of pathogenic microorganisms. Parasitol. Res., 101: 243-246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-007-0522-y

Ghosal, A., 2018. Mode of action of insecticides. In Chandel, B.S. (eds). Appl. Entomol. Zool., AkiNik, India. pp. 1-7.

Jin, Y.N. and Feng, G., 2001. Toxicity of organophosphate insecticides to the pyrethroid resistant house flies Musca domestica Vinica. Acta Entomol. Sinica., 44:182-86.

Kaufman, P.E., Gerry, A.C., Rutz, D.A. and Scott, J.G., 2006. Monitoring susceptibility of house flies (Musca domestica L.) in the United States to imidacloprid. J. Agric. Urban Entomol., 23: 195-200.

Khan, H. A. A., Akram, W., Shehzad, K. and Shaalan. E., 2011. First report of field evolved resistance to agrochemicals in dengue mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae), from Pakistan. Parasit. Vectors, 4: 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-3305-4-146

Khan, H.A.A., Shad, S.A. and Akram, W., 2012. Effect of livestock manures on the fitness of house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae). Parasitol. Res., 111: 1165-1171. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-2947-1

Khan, H.A.A., Akram, W., Shad, S.A., Razaq, M., Naeem-Ullah, U. and Zia. K., 2013a. A cross sectional survey of knowledge, attitude and practices related to house flies among dairy farmers in Punjab, Pakistan. J. Ethnobiol., 9: 18-28. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4269-9-18

Khan, H.A.A., Shad, S.A. and Akram, W., 2013b. Resistance to new chemical insecticides in the house fly, Musca domestica L., from dairies in Punjab, Pakistan. Parasitol. Res., 112: 2049–2054. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3365-8

Khan, H.A.A., Akram, W. and Shad, S.A., 2013c. Resistance to conventional insecticides in Pakistani populations of Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae): A potential ectoparasite of dairy animals. Ecotoxicology, 22: 522-527. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-013-1044-2

Kranthi, K.R., Jadhav, D., Wanjari, R., Kranthi, S. and Russell, D., 2001. Pyrethroid resistance and mechanisms of resistance in field strains of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). J. Econ. Entomol., 94: 253-263. https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-94.1.253

Learmount, J., Chapman, P. and Macnicoll, A., 2002. Impact of an insecticide resistance strategy for house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) control in intensive animal units in the United Kingdom. J. Econ. Entomol., 95: 1245-1250. https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-95.6.1245

Malik, A., Singh, N. and Satya, S., 2007. House fly (Musca domestica): A review of control strategies for a challenging pest. J. Environ. Sci. Hlth. B., 42: 453-469. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601230701316481

Muhammad, G., Naureen, A., Firyal, S. and Saqib, M., 2008. Tick control strategies in dairy production medicine. Pak. Vet. J., 28: 43–50.

Ranian, K., Zahoor, M.K., Zahoor, M.A., Rizvi, H., Rasul, A., Majeed, H.N., Jabeen, F., Sarfaraz, I., Zulhussnian, M., Riaz, B. and Ullah, A., 2021. Evaluation of Resistance to Some Pyrethroid and Organophosphate Insecticides and Their Underlying Impact on the Activity of Esterases and Phosphatases in House Fly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae). Pol. J. Environ. Studi., 30: 327-336. https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/96240

Saleem, M.A., Ahmad, A., Ahmad, M., Aslam, M. and Sayyed, A.H., 2008. Resistance to selected organochlorine, organophosphate, carbamates and pyrethroid, in Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from Pakistan. J. Econ. Entomol., 101: 1667–1675. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/101.5.1667

Sauphanor, B., Brosse, V., Bouvier, J.C., Speich, P., Micoud, A. and Martinet, C., 2000. Monitoring resistance to diflubenzuron and deltamethrin in French codling moth populations (Cydia pomonella). Pest Manage. Sci., 56: 74-82. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1526-4998(200001)56:1<74::AID-PS96>3.0.CO;2-C

Sayyed, A., Attique, M., and Khaliq, A., 2005. Stability of field-selected resistance to insecticides in Plutella xylostella (Lep., Plutellidae) from Pakistan. J. Appl. Entomol., 129: 542-547. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0418.2005.01010.x

Scott, J.G., Liu, N.N., Kristensen, M. and Clark, A.G., 2009. A case for sequencing the genome of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae). J. Med. Entomol., 46: 175-182. https://doi.org/10.1603/033.046.0202

Shad, S.A., Sayyed, A.H., Fazal, S., Saleem, M.A., Zaka, S.M. and Ali, M., 2012. Field evolved resistance to carbamates, organophosphates, pyrethroids, and new chemistry insecticides in Spodoptera litura Fab. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). J. Pest Sci., 85: 153-162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-011-0404-z

Sharififard, M. And Safdari, F., 2013. Evaluation of resistance or susceptibility of the house fly, Musca domestica L., of semi-industrial livestock farms to some pyrethroid insecticides in Ahvaz, southwestern Iran. Jundishapur J. Hlth. Sci., 5: 201-206.

Suwannayod, S., Sukontason, K.L., Pitasawat, B., Junkum, A., Limsopatham, K., Jones, M. K., Somboon, P., Leksomboon, R., Chareonviriyaphap, T., Tawatsin, A., Thavara, U. and Thavara, U., 2019. Synergistic toxicity of plant essential oils combined with pyrethroid insecticides against blow flies and the house fly. Insects, 10: 178-194. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects10060178

Wang, L., Zhang, Y., Han, Z., Liu, Y. and Fang. J., 2010. Cross-resistance and possible mechanisms of chlorpyrifos resistance in Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén). Pest Manage. Sci., 66: 1096-1100. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.1984

Whalon, M.E., Mota-Sanchez, D. and Hollingworth, R.M., 2008. Global pesticide resistance in arthropods. CABI, UK. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781845933531.0000

White, W., Mccoy, C., Meyer, J., Winkle, J., Plummer, P., Kemper, C., Starkey, R. and Snyder, D., 2007. Knockdown and mortality comparisons among spinosad-, imidacloprid-, and methomyl-containing baits against susceptible Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) under laboratory conditions. J. Econ. Entomol., 100: 155-163. https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493(2007)100[155:KAMCAS]2.0.CO;2

World Health Organization, 2006. Pesticides and their application: for the control of vectors and pests of public health importance (No. WHO/CDS/NTD/ WHOPES/GCDPP/2006.1). Geneva: World Health Organization, pp. 38-55.

Zahoor, M.K., Zahoor, M.A., Mubarik, M.S., Rizvi, H., Majeed, H.N., Zulhussnain, M., Ranian, K., Sultana, K., Imran, M. and Qamer, S., 2020. Insecticidal, biological and biochemical response of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) to some indigenous weed plant extracts. Saudi J. Biol. Sci., 27: 106-116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2019.05.009