Esterase inhibition by synergists in the western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis.

BACKGROUND: Western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), is among the most important crop pests in the south-eastern region of Spain. Its increasing resistance to insecticides constitutes a serious problem, and understanding the mechanisms involved is therefore of great interest. Use of synergists to inhibit the enzymes involved in insecticide detoxification is widely used to determine their responsibility for insecticide resistance. However, they do not always act as intended or expected, and caution must be exercised when interpreting synergist results. RESULTS: Laboratory-selected strains of WFT were used to analyse the effects of the synergists piperonyl butoxide …