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Potential of Azole Fungicides as Synergists for Managing Diamide and Pyrethroid Resistance in Spodoptera exigua and Helicoverpa armigera

파밤나방(Spodoptera exigua)과 왕담배나방(Helicoverpa armigera)에서 디아마이드계 및 피레스로이드계 살충제 저항성 관리를 위한 상승제로서 아졸계 살균제의 활용 가능성

  • Dongjun Park (Department of Plant Medicine, Division of Bioresource Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Minseop Noh (Department of Plant Medicine, Division of Bioresource Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Hyeokchan Kwon (Department of Plant Medicine, Division of Bioresource Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Minyoung Choi (Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Smart Agriculture, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Murtaza Khan (Agriculture and Life Science Research Institute, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Juil Kim (Department of Plant Medicine, Division of Bioresource Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kangwon National University)
  • 박동준 (강원대학교 농업생명과학대학 생물자원과학부 식물의학전공) ;
  • 노민섭 (강원대학교 농업생명과학대학 생물자원과학부 식물의학전공) ;
  • 권혁찬 (강원대학교 농업생명과학대학 생물자원과학부 식물의학전공) ;
  • 최민영 (강원대학교 스마트농업융합학과) ;
  • 무르타자 칸 (강원대학교 농업생명과학연구원) ;
  • 김주일 (강원대학교 농업생명과학대학 생물자원과학부 식물의학전공)
  • Received : 2026.04.28
  • Accepted : 2026.05.24
  • Published : 2026.06.01

Abstract

Spodoptera exigua and Helicoverpa armigera are economically important agricultural pests worldwide, including Korea, where their management is increasingly challenged by the rapid evolution of resistance to diamide and pyrethroid insecticides. This resistance is largely driven by enhanced metabolic detoxification, mediated by the overexpression of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs). Consequently, inhibiting CYP activity has emerged as a promising strategy to restore insecticide susceptibility and improve resistance management. Here, we investigated the potential of azole fungicides, known CYP inhibitors, to act as synergists and enhance insecticide efficacy against resistant populations of these lepidopteran pests. Bioassays revealed clear species- and insecticide-specific synergistic interactions. In S. exigua, co-application of propiconazole with diamide insecticide chlorantraniliprole significantly increased toxicity, resulting in 100% larval mortality. In contrast, in deltamethrin-resistant H. armigera, strong synergistic effects were observed when deltamethrin was combined with hexaconazole or metconazole, resulting in mortality exceeding 80%. Although azole fungicides alone caused negligible insecticidal mortality, their co-application with insecticides produced pronounced, concentration-dependent increases in mortality, with statistically significant differences relative to insecticides applied alone. These results provide strong evidence for the involvement of CYP-mediated detoxification in diamide and pyrethroid resistance and demonstrate the efficacy of azole fungicides as effective synergists. Overall, this study suggests the strategic incorporation of azole fungicides into insecticide resistance management programs to improve control efficacy against resistant populations of S. exigua and H. armigera.

파밤나방(Spodoptera exigua)과 왕담배나방(Helicoverpa armigera)은 우리나라를 포함한 전 세계적으로 경제적으로 중요한 농업 해충이며, 이들의 방제는 디아마이드계 및 피레스로이드계 살충제에 대한 저항성이 빠르게 진화함에 따라 점점 더 어려워지고 있다. 이러한 저항성은 주로 시토크롬P450 모노옥시게네이스(cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, CYPs)의 과발현에 의해 매개되는 대사적 해독능의 증가에 기인한다. 따라서CYP 활성을 억제하는 것은 살충제 감수성을 회복시키고 저항성 관리를 개선하기 위한 유망한 전략으로 부각되고 있다. 본 연구에서는CYP 억제제로 알려진 아졸계 살균제가 상승제로 작용하여 이들 나비목 해충의 저항성 집단에 대한 살충제 효능을 증대시킬 수 있는 가능성을 조사하였다. 생물검정 결과, 종 및 살충제 종류에 따라 뚜렷이 구분되는 상승효과가 확인되었다. 파밤나방에서는 아졸계 살균제 프로피코나졸(propiconazole)을 디아마이드계 살충제 클로란트라닐리프롤(chlorantraniliprole)과 함께 처리하였을 때 독성이 유의하게 증가하여 유충 사망률이 100%에 도달하였다. 반면, 델타메트린(deltamethrin) 저항성 왕담배나방에서는 델타메트린과 헥사코나졸(hexaconazole) 또는 메트코나졸(metconazole)을 혼용하였을 때 강한 상승효과가 나타났으며, 사망률은 80%를 초과하였다. 아졸계 살균제를 단독 처리하였을 때에는 살충 효과가 거의 없었으나, 살충제와 함께 처리할 경우 농도 의존적으로 사망률이 뚜렷하게 증가하였고, 이는 살충제 단독 처리구와 비교하여 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보였다. 이러한 결과는 디아마이드계 및 피레스로이드계 살충제 저항성에CYP 매개 해독작용이 관여함을 강하게 시사하며, 동시에 아졸계 살균제가 효과적인 상승제로 기능할 수 있음을 입증한다. 종합하면, 본 연구는 파밤나방과 담배거세미나방의 저항성 집단에 대한 방제 효율을 향상시키기 위해 아졸계 살균제를 살충제 저항성 관리 프로그램에 전략적으로 도입할 수 있음을 제안한다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was funded by the Cooperative Research Program supported by the Rural Development Administration (RS-2025-02692988), and by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Republic of Korea (NRF-2021R1A6A1A03044242).

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