LAUSR

Abstract Background Resurgence of the rice brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens Stal (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) is often induced by application of insecticides at sublethal concentrations. Etofenprox is an insecticide that has been registered and used in Indonesia to control BPH. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of etofenprox on the fecundity of susceptible-laboratory adapted population of BPH. Results Etofenprox was applied at its LC50 (98.98 mg a.i. l− 1) and its sublethal concentration (LC10: 2.26 mg a.i. l− 1) to the third instars and adults. Different exposure times for the third instars (one and three-consecutive generations) were employed to determine a short and long term effects of etofenprox. Effect on adults was evaluated by exposing five pairs of gravid females on etofenprox treated and non treated rice plants. Etofenprox applied at the estimated LC50 and LC10 did not stimulate an increase in fecundity of females produced from nymphs exposed to etofenprox for one and three consecutive generations. Exposure of gravid females on the treated rice plants did not change the production of nymphs compared to the control females. Conclusion These findings suggest that the risk of BPH resurgence by etofenprox through increasing the fecundity is minimum.