GC‐MS Based Study of Haemolymph Metabolomics in Male Spodoptera mauritia Boisduval, on Post‐Treatment of Flufenoxuron

ABSTRACT Flufenoxuron exhibits excellent chitin‐inhibiting activity against several insect species, including Lepidoptera. The disruption of the chitin synthesis process can have a significantly negative impact on several developmental systems of insects. However, current knowledge of the metabolomic effect on Spodoptera mauritia larvae remains underdeveloped. This study employed Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC‐MS)‐based untargeted metabolomics to investigate the changes in metabolic activity and biochemical effects of flufenoxuron in S. mauritia haemolymph, thereby illustrating the possible mode of action. Metabolomic analysis of haemolymph was conducted on exposure to two different sublethal concentrations of flufenoxuron (0.00068 and 0.00015 µg) in the sixth instar stage of S. mauritia . The effect of flufenoxuron was investigated on selected differently abundant metabolites in GC‐MS‐based metabolomics results. Notably, carbohydrate and fatty acid levels were significantly reduced, indicating severe nutritional and energetic stress. Pathway analysis indicated that carbohydrate, lipid and amino acid metabolism are strongly associated with the effects of the chitin synthesis inhibitor. The findings substantiate the flufenoxuron‐mediated disturbance in metabolites and metabolic pathways. The findings of the study deepen our understanding of the physiological disruptions caused by flufenoxuron, highlighting its potential hazards in agricultural applications against S. mauritia .