Benzoyl Carbamide Exposure and Ovipositor Dimensions in Sclerodermus sichuanensis: A Laboratory Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65761/jbs.2026.103Keywords:
Sclerodermus sichuanensis; benzoyl carbamide; chitin synthesis inhibitor; ovipositor morphology; parasitoidAbstract
Background: Chitin synthesis inhibitors are widely used in insect pest management; however, their potential sublethal effects on beneficial parasitoids remain an important concern for integrated pest management.
Objective: This study investigated concentration-dependent variations in ovipositor length and width in adult female Sclerodermus sichuanensis following exposure to benzoyl carbamide.
Methods: A total of 210 adult females were assigned to seven experimental groups, comprising an untreated control and six benzoyl carbamide exposure concentrations, with 30 individuals per group. Ovipositor length and width were measured following a 24-hour exposure period. Group-specific means and standard deviations were calculated from individual observations.
Results: Both ovipositor dimensions exhibited progressive reductions across the exposure groups. Mean ovipositor length decreased from 1805.58 ± 58.57 µm in the control group to 465.60 ± 29.49 µm at the highest concentration, representing a 74.2% reduction. Similarly, mean ovipositor width declined from 865.98 ± 14.70 µm to 226.34 ± 21.15 µm, corresponding to a 73.9% reduction. At 30 mg/mL, ovipositor length and width decreased by 33.4% and 30.7%, respectively, relative to the control.
Conclusion: Benzoyl carbamide exposure was associated with substantial, concentration-dependent alterations in ovipositor dimensions in S. sichuanensis. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating morphological responses in beneficial parasitoids when assessing insecticide compatibility with biological control programmes. Further investigations incorporating statistical testing, oviposition performance, and field-based assessments are warranted.
References
1. Xin Z, Zhang X, Qin Z, Feng F, Xia Z, Yu X. Advances in chitin synthesis inhibitors for pest control. Current Organic Synthesis. 2025.
2. Zhang T, Hu Y, Lu S, Deng Y, Zhang H, Zhao Y, et al. Chitin synthase is required for cuticle formation and molting in the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2025;26(5):2358.
3. Ullah F, Guru-Pirasanna-Pandi G, Hyder M, Sarangi S, Gul H, Li X, et al. From plants to pest targets: Revisiting botanical insecticides for lepidopteran pest management. Agriculture Communications. 2025:100113.
4. Sadanandappa MK, Sathyanarayana SH, Bosco G. Parasitoid wasp culturing and assay to study parasitoid-induced reproductive modifications in Drosophila. Bio-protocol. 2023;13(1).
5. Ding Y, Cui Y, Xie H, Liang J, Liu H, Yuan F, et al. Camptothecin weakens the mechanical properties of insect cuticle by inhibiting tanning. Insect Science. 2026;33(4):1513–1524.
6. Gao H, Qian Q, Liu L, Xu D. Predicting the distribution of Sclerodermus sichuanensis (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) under climate change in China. Insects. 2023;14(5):475.
7. Wang M, Ren G, Wang J, Zhong K, Chang Z, Li D, et al. Morphological anatomy, developmental characteristics of the reproductive system in Arhopalus rusticus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and their impacts on the transmission potential of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Aphelenchida: Parasitaphelenchidae). Forests. 2025;16(12):1754.
8. Bayram A, Doğanlar O. Sublethal effects of four insecticides with different modes of action on life history, demography and host exploitation by the egg parasitoid, Telenomus busseolae. Insects. 2026;17(5):478.
9. Ahmed KS, Majeed MZ, Raza ABM. Lethal and sublethal effects of pesticides and their consequences on Trichogramma (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) biocontrol agents. Sarhad Journal of Agriculture. 2025;41(4):1763.
10. Lisi F, Cavallaro C, Pitruzzello MF, Arnó J, Desneux N, Han P, et al. Compatibility of bioinsecticides with parasitoids for enhanced integrated pest management of Drosophila suzukii and Tuta absoluta. Insects. 2024;15(7):467.
11. Kang K, Wang L, Xiao Z, Wang S, Wei K, Wang X, et al. Effects of photoperiod on the developmental duration and reproduction of Sclerodermus sichuanensis. Insects. 2025;16(7):701.
12. Ghodrati M, Mir A, Farmani A. Proposing of SPR biosensor based on 2D Ti3C2Tx MXene for uric acid detection immobilized by uricase enzyme. Journal of Computational Electronics. 2023;22(1):560–569.
13. Hajdusek O, Urbanova V, Moos M, Vancová M, Perner J. Disruption of chitin synthases impairs tick feeding and reproduction, validating a broad-spectrum acaricide target. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. 2026; 16:1822003.
14. Nakazato Y, Otaki JM. Live detection of intracellular chitin in butterfly wing epithelial cells in vivo using fluorescent brightener 28: Implications for the development of scales and color patterns. Insects. 2023;14(9):753.
15. Muthukrishnan S, Mun S, Noh MY, Geisbrecht ER, Arakane Y. Insect cuticular chitin contributes to form and function. Current Pharmaceutical Design. 2020;26(29):3530–3545.
16. Burke GR, Sharanowski BJ. Parasitoid wasps. Current Biology. 2024;34(10): R483–R488.
17. Fei M, Gols R, Harvey JA. The biology and ecology of parasitoid wasps of predatory arthropods. Annual Review of Entomology. 2023;68(1):109–128.
18. Schmid S, Song Y, Tollefsen KE. AOP report: Inhibition of chitin synthase 1 leading to increased mortality in arthropods. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 2021;40(8):2112–2120.
19. Salim M, Arif A, Ayaz M, Saljoqi AUR, Gökçe A, Khan H, et al. Impact of synthetic insecticides on the life table parameters of Trichogramma chilonis under laboratory conditions. Scientific Reports. 2025;15(1):3900.
20. Dasa+ N, GSb S, Tejac+ KS, Devi LS, Bala B. Integrated pest management: Success stories and key takeaways. 2024.
21. Theenoor R, Ghosh A, Venkatesan R. Harmonising control: Understanding the complex impact of pesticides on parasitoid wasps for enhanced pest management. Current Opinion in Insect Science. 2024; 65:101236.
22. Zheng J, Li K, Li W, Xia W, Zhao Y, Liu T, Peng Y. Effect of host pupae cryogenic, anesthesia, parasitoid-to-host ratios to Scleroderma sichuanensis the percentage parasitism and numbers of output. Ecology and Evolution. 2024;14(12): e70649.
23. Yu A, Beck M, Merzendorfer H, Yang Q. Advances in understanding insect chitin biosynthesis. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 2024; 164:104058.
24. Schmidt-Jeffris RA. Nontarget pesticide impacts on pest natural enemies: Progress and gaps in current knowledge. Current Opinion in Insect Science. 2023; 58:101056.
25. Agathokleous E, Blande JD, Masui N, Calabrese EJ, Zhang J, Sicard P, et al. Sublethal chemical stimulation of arthropod parasitoids and parasites of agricultural and environmental importance. Environmental Research. 2023; 237:116876.
26. Zhu KY, Merzendorfer H, Zhang W, Zhang J, Muthukrishnan S. Biosynthesis, turnover, and functions of chitin in insects. Annual Review of Entomology. 2016; 61:177–196.
27. Liu X, Cooper AMW, Yu Z, Silver K, Zhang J, Zhu KY. Progress and prospects of arthropod chitin pathways and structures as targets for pest management. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology. 2019; 161:33–46.
28. Merzendorfer H. Chitin synthesis inhibitors: Old molecules and new developments. Insect Science. 2013;20(2):121–138.
29. Hajjar NP, Casida JE. Insecticidal benzoylphenyl ureas: Structure-activity relationships as chitin synthesis inhibitors. Science. 1978;200(4349):1499–1500.
30. Cohen E. Chitin synthesis and degradation as targets for pesticide action. Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology. 1993;22(1–2):245–261.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Sumbul Mureed Mastoi, Ghulam Sarwar Solangi, Shabana Naz Mazari, Nazir Ahmed Abro, Faaiz Aslam, Saif Ur Rehman, Gulsher Mangrio, Naveed Ahmed Abbasi, Um-e-Fatima Mangrio
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.
