Chlorantraniliprole Combined with Wilforine, an Environmentally Friendly and Efficient Chemical Control Strategy for Spodoptera frugiperda by Regulating Calcium Homeostasis

Spodoptera frugiperda poses a significant threat to global food security, having developed resistance to numerous chemical insecticides. Chlorantraniliprole is among the emergency control agents for managing S. frugiperda. Wilforine, a plant-derived pesticide, has emerged as a promising candidate for novel pesticide development. In this study, we employed a combination of advanced methodologies to elucidate the mechanism underlying the action of these compounds. We demonstrated that chlorantraniliprole disrupts calcium homeostasis by regulating SfRyR, ultimately inducing apoptosis. Additionally, we identified SfSERCA as the target of wilforine, revealing its role in regulating Ca²⁺-ATPase activity in S. frugiperda. Through the dual interference of dsSfRyR and dsSfSERCA, we analyzed the synergistic effects of chlorantraniliprole and wilforine against S. frugiperda. This approach identified a highly efficient and low-toxicity combination of the two compounds. It proposes an environmentally friendly chemical control strategy by leveraging the synergistic mechanism to regulate the calcium homeostasis in the pest cells.