Effects of Sitobion avenae Treated with Sublethal Concentrations of Dinotefuran on the Predation Function and Enzyme Activity of Harmonia axyridis

This study investigated the impact of sublethal concentrations of dinotefuran on the predatory behavior and detoxification enzyme activity of <i>Harmonia axyridis</i>, aiming to establish a theoretical foundation for the conservation and utilization of natural enemies and the effective management of wheat aphids. This study treated wheat aphids with sublethal concentrations (LC₂₀ and LC₃₀) of dinotefuran via the leaf dipping method and subsequently used them as prey for the fourth-instar larvae of <i>H. axyridis</i>. The predation amount, instantaneous attack rate, handling time, daily maximum predation amount, and detoxification enzyme activity of <i>H. axyridis</i> were statistically analyzed. The results indicated that the predation of <i>H. axyridis</i> on wheat aphids conformed to the Holling II disc equation. Moreover, in comparison to the control group, the handling time of <i>H. axyridis</i> on wheat aphids was extended, and at the same time, the instantaneous attack rate, maximum daily predation amount, and predation efficiency were all diminished. After the ingestion of LC₂₀- and LC₃₀-dinotefuran-treated aphids, the carboxylesterase levels in <i>H. axyridis</i> were not significantly different from the control, with levels 0.97-fold and 0.94-fold that of the control, respectively. Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) demonstrated an induction impact compared to the control, reaching 1.96- and 1.47-fold higher than the control, respectively. The activity of mixed-functional oxidase (MFO) demonstrated an induction effect compared to the control, measuring 1.98- and 3.04-fold higher than that of the control, respectively. Consequently, the predation function and detoxification enzyme activity of <i>H. axyridis</i> were influenced when consuming wheat aphids treated with sublethal concentrations of dinotefuran, with significant variations across different concentrations, potentially reflecting the survival strategy of insects under dinotefuran stress.