Pesticide Resistance and Management

Resistance of organisms to biocides has been an important practical problem since bacterial resistance to antibiotics emerged. Insecticide resistance was first reported in 1952 when mosquitoes transmitting malaria and other vector diseases were found to be resistant to DDT. Resistance in a number of household, veterinary and stored product pests followed from the mid 1950’s to 1960’s. Resistance to DDT and endrin in field crop pests such as tobacco caterpillar, diamond back moth and various species of aphids was identified between late 1960’s and the 1970’s. In 1987, farmers in important growing regions of coastal Andhra Pradesh faced same problems in controlling the unprecedented outbreaks of cotton boll worm, Helicoverpa armigera with certain insecticides including synthetic pyrethroids.