Microsatellite Analysis Reveals Population Structure and Population Expansion ofTecia solanivora¹inSolanum tuberosumin Colombia

Pyrethroid resistance is associated with akdr-type mutation (L1014F) in the potato tuber mothTecia solanivora

“…Recent studies have suggested gene flow of populations of T. solanivora from Boyacá (where the most resistant population is located) to other regions of Colombia, probably through infected potato tuber movements, emphasising the concern with the introduction of already resistant phenotypes of this invasive pest species. 6 A similar scenario has been hypothesised for another lepidopteran and closely related insect, the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta. Populations of T. absoluta, from various geographical regions, with low genetic variability, have been found to harbour kdr-like mutations, and it was suggested that its rapid expansion through South American countries and lately to the Mediterranean Basin, North Africa and Asia, may in part be mediated by the resistance of this pest to chemical insecticides.…”

“…some insect predators or parasitoids or even fishes) has hindered their even wider use in agriculture . As a potential result of the intense use of pyrethroid insecticides for the control of potato tuber moth T. solanivora , control failures have been frequently reported and recognised as one of the major causes of the economic losses observed in potato production in Hispanic America . The present investigation demonstrated the presence of a single point substitution, L1014F, in the sodium channels of four permethrin‐resistant Colombian populations of the potato tuber moth T. solanivora .…”

“…Such findings have serious implications in the management strategies of this pest in Hispanic America, and particularly in Colombia. Recent studies have suggested gene flow of populations of T. solanivora from Boyacá (where the most resistant population is located) to other regions of Colombia, probably through infected potato tuber movements, emphasising the concern with the introduction of already resistant phenotypes of this invasive pest species . A similar scenario has been hypothesised for another lepidopteran and closely related insect, the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta .…”

“…The potato tuber moth Tecia solanivora (Povolny 1973) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is an invasive pest species native to Guatemala that has successfully colonised potato crops in Hispanic America (e.g. Central and South American countries including Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador), besides the Spanish Canary Islands, causing significant losses in this crop . This invasive pest species has great capacity to adapt to warmer regions under a scenario of climate change, which has turned T. solanivora into a threat that can reach new regions in the world .…”

“…Despite its economic importance and potential risks associated with insecticide overuse, studies of insecticide resistance and resistance mechanisms among populations of the potato tuber moth T. solanivora have been wholly neglected. Moreover, genetic differentiation among Colombian populations from geographically distant and separated regions, as recently reported, may have serious implications for the species management. Furthermore, the continuous transport of potato tubers between different regions can lead to genetic homogenisation between the existing populations, further complicating the control by insecticide use of this invasive pest if insecticide resistance prevails.…”