Sublethal Exposure to Deltamethrin Stimulates Reproduction and Alters Symbiotic Bacteria in Aphis gossypii

In aphids, hormesis and symbiotic bacteria are the drivers for the development of pesticide resistance. However, the related mechanism remains unclear. Here, we evaluated the sublethal and transgenerational effects of the extensively used pyrethroid pesticide deltamethrin (DMT) on the population dynamics in Aphis gossypii and tested its influence on symbiotic bacterial communities. The leaf-dip bioassay revealed that DMT was highly toxic to A. gossypii, and at a low lethal concentration of DMT, the intrinsic (r) and finite rates of increase (lambda) of the initially exposed aphids (G0) significantly decreased. Intriguingly, the r, lambda, and net reproductive rate (R-0) of G1 and G2 significantly increased, but the r and lambda decreased in G3. The adult and total preoviposition period increased in G3 but decreased in G4. Additionally, the diversity of the bacterial community decreased, while the abundance values of Buchnera, Pseudomonadaceae, and Burkholderiaceae increased after 24 h of exposure to LC30 DMT in G0 aphids, and the latter two decreased in G1 but increased in G2. In summary, sublethal DMT has intergenerational hormesis effect on cotton aphids in G1-G2 and remarkably altered their symbiotic bacterial community and abundance. These results broaden our understanding of the relationship of hormesis and symbiotic bacteria in aphids under insecticide exposure.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates that sublethal deltamethrin pesticide has a significant impact on the population dynamics and symbiotic bacterial community of cotton aphids, exhibiting intergenerational hormesis effects.