Biochemical and Molecular Basis of Insecticide Resistance in Diamondback Moth, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus): A Review

Plutella xylostella L. is the second most insecticide- resistant arthropod in the world. After its first report of resistance in 1953, it has now become resistant to several organochlorines, organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids, proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis, insect growth regulators, chitin synthesis inhibitors, spinosad, etc. The mechanisms of resistance involved may be behavioural or physiological such as reduced penetration, target site insensitivity or increased detoxification enzymes (hydrolases, transferases and oxygenases). The biochemical and molecular aspects of mechanism of resistance in P. xylostella have been discussed.