title: The current status of pesticide resistance in Australian populations of the redlegged earth mite (Halotydeus destructor).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The redlegged earth mite, Halotydeus destructor Tucker, is an important pest of broad-acre farming systems in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In 2006, high levels of resistance to synthetic pyrethroids were discovered in this species in Western Australia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 2007 and 2010, the authors monitored resistance in field populations and found it had spread considerably within the state of Western Australia. Twenty-six paddocks from 15 individual properties were identified with resistance, and these paddocks ranged over 480 km. To date, resistance has not been detected in any other Australian state. Resistance in H. destructor appears to be found across the entire pyrethroid group, but not to other chemical classes such as organophosphates and carbamates, or other chemistries with novel modes of action.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high levels of resistance occurring in Western Australia have caused considerable economic losses due to ineffective chemical applications and mortality of crop plants at seedling establishment. These findings highlight the need for a comprehensive resistance surveillance programme to be developed for H. destructor within Australia. Growers need to consider non-chemical approaches for pest control and should be encouraged to implement pesticide resistance management programmes for H. destructor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. pumina@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Umina
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Weeks
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Sommer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: G Peter
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Mangano
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Micic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D004351:Drug Resistance; D008925:Mites / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D011722:Pyrethrins / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides; D011722:Pyrethrins