Abstract
Beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is one of the most devastating pests of different key crops. The present study deals with the toxic effect of fenvalerate insecticide on the development, reproduction and the detoxification enzyme’s activity of S. exigua feeding on tomato, cabbage, and artificial diet. The developmental period of the second instar to adult emergence was prolonged (16.74 days) reared on tomato followed by cabbage (15.97 days) and artificial diet (15.62 days). The fecundity of S. exigua was lowest on the tomato plant (279 eggs), followed by an artificial diet (347 eggs), while the highest number of eggs was observed on cabbage after the control diet (421eggs). Moreover, the lowest survival rate of the second to the third instar, fourth to the fifth instar, and hatchability were recorded in insects reared on tomato (70.89%) compared to that reared on cabbage (77.08%) and artificial diet (79.66%). S. exigua reared on tomato had the lowest intrinsic rate of increase (r: 0.133) and the highest mean generation time (T: 31.36). Furthermore, detoxifying enzyme activity in S. exigua was much lower on tomato than on cabbage and diet. Moreover, the fenvalerate toxicity was synergized by either piperonyl butoxide (PBO) or S,S,S tributylphosphorotrithioate (DEF) due to the likely participation of monooxygenases or esterase; this suggests a general metabolic resistance. This research provides a solid base for devising an applicable and successful strategy for the controlling the resistance development in beet armyworms.