寄主植物对棉铃虫越冬蛹抗寒能力的影响

通过对滞育蛹过冷却点的测定 ,初步明确寄主对棉铃虫Helicoverpaarmigera的越冬抗寒性有影响 ,幼虫取食棉花时产生的滞育蛹的过冷却点低于取食玉米的滞育蛹的过冷却点 ,即前者的抗寒能力高于后者 ;但用Bt棉喂养后的棉铃虫滞育蛹抗寒能力下降     

Effects of larval host plants on over-wintering preparedness and survival of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Laboratory colonies of cotton bollworm larvae, Helicoverpa armigera, kept at 20 degrees C under a photoperiod of L:D=10:14 were fed on five host plants (cotton, corn, kidney bean, tobacco and tomato) and an artificial diet (control) to determine the effects of larval host quality on survival and pupal over-wintering preparedness. A separate experiment showed that diapausing pupae weighed more and contained greater nutrient stores than did non-diapausing pupae. Diapausing pupae reared on different host plants showed significant differences in terms of over-wintering reserve storage, and degree of cold-hardiness (extent of low-molecular-weight substances and SCPs), and survivorship. The more nutrients the host plant had, the more the pupae weighed and the higher the levels of total lipids and glycogen. Body water content was also significantly affected by larval food quality. The mean pupal super-cooling capacities varied significantly from -16.7 to -18.9 degrees C according to host plants the larvae feed on, and these significantly related to water content, pupal weight, lipid and glycogen content, and the levels of glycerol. Levels of trehalose, glycerol, and inositol, which were mainly low-molecular-weight substances, showed no significant differences among different host plants, except for trehalose. Pupal mortality varied from 39.7% on corn to 3.3% on the artificial diet, which was significantly related to pupal weight, total lipid content, trehalose levels, and super-cooling points. These results suggest that larval food quality can affect survival and influence the over-wintering preparedness of the cotton bollworm.     

Effects of Bt cotton and crylac toxin on survival and development of pink bollworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae).

We evaluated the effects of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin CrylAc on survival and development of a susceptible strain and laboratory-selected resistant strains of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders). For susceptible and resistant strains tested on artificial diet, increases in CrylAc concentration reduced developmental rate and pupal weight. In greenhouse tests, survival of resistant larvae on transgenic cotton that produces CrylAc (Bt cotton) was 46% relative to their survival on non-Bt cotton. In contrast, Bt cotton killed all susceptible larvae tested. F1 hybrid progeny of resistant and susceptible adults did not survive on Bt cotton, which indicates recessive inheritance of resistance. Compared with resistant or susceptible larvae reared on non-Bt cotton, resistant larvae reared on Bt cotton had lower survival and slower development, and achieved lower pupal weight and fecundity. Recessive resistance to Bt cotton is consistent with one of the basic assumptions of the refuge strategy for delaying resistance to Bt cotton. Whereas slower development of resistant insects on Bt cotton could increase the probability of mating between resistant adults and accelerate resistance, negative effects of Bt cotton on the survival and development of resistant larvae could delay evolution of resistance.     

取食Bt棉与玉米的越冬代棉铃虫抗寒性特征比较

【目的】针对由Bt棉花和玉米构成的华北农田景观, 探讨不同寄主作物对棉铃虫 Helicoverpa armigera 越冬抗寒的影响。【方法】2013年在河北廊坊科研中试基地的作物田中将棉铃虫幼虫接到Bt棉和玉米上, 比较取食不同作物后棉铃虫的化蛹率、存活率和越冬蛹羽化率;在室内控制条件下分别用棉蕾和鲜玉米粒饲喂棉铃虫幼虫。 测定滞育蛹和非滞育蛹的鲜重、干重、以及脂肪、糖原和低分子物质含量等指标, 比较取食不同作物后棉铃虫的抗寒能力。【结果】取食玉米的棉铃虫滞育蛹干重（117.5 mg）、脂肪含量（457.2 μg/mg DW）以及海藻糖浓度（86.45 μg/g）均显著高于取食Bt棉的棉铃虫滞育蛹干重（56.6 mg）、脂肪含量（239.6 μg/mg DW）以及海藻糖浓度（13.87 μg/g）;取食玉米的棉铃虫冰点(-10.2℃)显著低于取食Bt棉的棉铃虫冰点(-6.5℃)。【结论】结果表明取食玉米更加有利于棉铃虫越冬。 据历史数据, 近年来玉米种植面积不断增加, 这将提高棉铃虫成功越冬比率, 对棉铃虫种群扩张起到促进作用, 因此注重玉米上棉铃虫的防治尤为重要。     

新疆棉区转Bt基因棉对棉铃虫生物学的影响

棉铃虫Helicoverpaarmigera高龄幼虫取食转Bt基因棉花组织后 ,化蛹率、羽化率、蛹重、体长均有显著下降 ,在转Bt基因棉花上棉铃虫的取食行为也受到较大的影响 ,表现为取食次数明显减少、吐丝下垂次数明显增加 ;无论是转Bt基因棉花还是常规棉花 ,棉铃虫 3龄幼虫主要分布于繁殖器官上 ,在转Bt基因棉花各繁殖器官上的分布概率为 :花 >棉铃 >棉蕾 ,常规棉花上分布概率为 :棉蕾 >棉铃 >花 ;棉铃虫高龄幼虫取食转Bt基因棉花各组织 ,成虫羽化后产卵量、卵孵化率均有明显下降 ;在较低的棉铃虫虫口密度下 ,转Bt基因棉花对棉铃虫有一定的产卵排趋性。     

湖北棉区转Bt基因棉对棉铃虫的控制作用

2000-2001年通过田间系统调查,表明转Bt基因棉（品种为GK19）在湖北江汉平原棉区对棉铃虫抗性稳定。试验设3个处理：转Bt基因棉化防田（使用化学农药控制害虫）、转Bt基因棉自控田（依靠天敌控制害虫）及常规棉对照田（利用综合防治措施控制害虫）。从棉铃虫的第2代到第5代整个发生期内,即使在不进行化学防治的情况下,棉铃虫在Bt棉田的发生量也保持在极低的水平(最高百株虫量为12头)。室内饲养结果表明,转Bt基因棉对棉铃虫的生长发育（幼虫体重、蛹重）有较为明显的影响,使6龄幼虫体重减少25.6%,蛹重减少18.2%。棉铃虫幼虫取食转Bt基因棉组织后,发育迟缓,相对于常规棉喂养的整个发育历期延长17 d,使棉铃虫在田间的危害减少至少一个世代。另外,接虫试验表明,棉铃虫幼虫在常规棉上的取食时间是转Bt基因棉株上的6.1倍,极大地减轻了棉铃虫的危害程度。     

Orientation Behavior,Development and Survival of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoplusia ni</Emphasis> (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae on Cotton Expressing Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab and Conventional Cotton

This study was conducted to determine the effects of Bt cotton leaves (Bollgard II), non-Bt cotton leaves, and a mixture of Bt+non-Bt cotton leaves on larval orientation behavior, survival and development of Trichoplusia ni in the laboratory. Results indicate that in a no-choice test, more first and fifth instars remained on Bt leaves than the third instars. All larvae that remained on the leaves gradually moved to leaf edge. In the choice between a Bt and a non-Bt leaf, more first instars moved to non-Bt leaves, whereas the third and fifth instars did not show significant difference in the first 8 h, but eventually more moved to non-Bt leaves. More first instars fed non-Bt leaves than third instars and fifth instars. When larvae fed Bt leaves, 100% of first instars, 92.7% of third instars and 51.1% of fifth instars died in 108 h. Once larvae pupated, >90% developed to adults. First and third instars that fed Bt leaves developed slower but their pupae developed faster than those on Bt+non-Bt leaves, whereas fifth instars developed similar on the three types of leaves. First and third instars that fed Bt+non-Bt leaves resulted in less heavy pupae than those fed non-Bt leaves; whereas the fifth instars that survived on Bt leaves produced lighter pupae.     

Effects of elevated CO2 and transgenic Bt cotton on plant chemistry, performance, and feeding of an insect herbivore, the cotton bollworm

Effects of elevated atmospheric CO₂ (double‐ambient CO₂) on the growth and metabolism of cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), fed on transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Berliner) (Bt) cotton [Cry1A(c)], grown in open‐top chambers, were studied. Two levels of CO₂ (ambient and double‐ambient) and two cotton cultivars (non‐transgenic Simian‐3 and transgenic GK‐12) were deployed in a completely randomized design with four treatment combinations, and the cotton bollworm was reared on each treatment simultaneously. Plants of both cotton cultivars had lower nitrogen and higher total non‐structural carbohydrates (TNC), TNC:Nitrogen ratio, condensed tannin, and gossypol under elevated CO₂. Elevated CO₂ further resulted in a significant decrease in Bt toxin level in GK‐12. The changes in chemical components in the host plants due to increased CO₂ significantly affected the growth parameters of H. armigera. Both transgenic Bt cotton and elevated CO₂ resulted in a reduced body mass, lower fecundity, decreased relative growth rate (RGR), and decreased mean relative growth rate in the bollworms. Larval life‐span was significantly longer for H. armigera fed transgenic Bt cotton. Significantly reduced larval, pupal, and adult moth weights were observed in the bollworms fed elevated CO₂‐grown transgenic Bt cotton compared with those of bollworms reared on non‐transgenic cotton, regardless of the CO₂ level. The efficiency of conversion of ingested food and of digested food of the bollworm were significantly reduced when fed transgenic Bt cotton, but there was no significant CO₂ or CO₂× cotton cultivar interaction. Approximate digestibility of larvae reared on transgenic cotton grown in elevated CO₂ was higher compared to that of larvae fed non‐transgenic cotton grown at ambient CO₂. The damage inflicted by cotton bollworm on cotton, regardless of the presence or absence of insecticidal genes, is predicted to be more serious under elevated CO₂ conditions because of individual compensatory feeding on host plants caused by nitrogen deficiency.     

转Bt基因玉米对甜菜夜蛾幼虫存活和发育的影响

在室内测定了2种转Cry1Ab基因的Bt玉米MON810和Bt11不同组织对甜菜夜蛾 Spodoptera exigua （Hübner）初孵幼虫以及心叶对4龄幼虫存活和发育的影响,在田间比较了甜菜夜蛾幼虫取食Bt 和非Bt玉米雌穗的存活和为害情况。结果表明,转Cry1Ab基因的Bt玉米的不同组织对甜菜夜蛾初孵幼虫都具有明显的杀虫活性,取食Bt玉米心叶、苞叶、籽粒时甜菜夜蛾均在幼虫期死亡; 取食MON810和Bt11雄穗的初孵幼虫化蛹率分别为5.2%和2.1%,羽化率为2.1%和1.0%;取食MON810和Bt11花丝的初孵幼虫化蛹率分别为1.0%和2.1%,但不能羽化。4龄幼虫取食MON810玉米心叶的化蛹率与对照差异不显著,而取食Bt11的化蛹率与对照差异显著; 取食两种Bt玉米心叶的４龄幼虫化蛹后的雌、雄蛹重和羽化率与对照组差异显著,但蛹期和平均单雌产卵量差异不显著,虽然对照组羽化的成虫平均产卵量高于Bt玉米组。田间接种初孵幼虫10 天后的调查结果表明,在MON810和Bt11玉米花丝上幼虫存活率分别为1.3%和0.3%, 而对照组分别为12.9%和16.2%;MON810和Bt11玉米雌穗被害率分别为18.3%和5.0%,而对照组分别为93.3%和95.0%,均显著低于对照组。     

Effects of larval host plants on over-wintering physiological dynamics and survival of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Laboratory colonies of cotton bollworm larvae, Helicoverpa armigera, were kept at 20 °C under a photoperiod of L:D = 10:14 and fed on three host plants (cotton, tobacco, kidney bean) and an artificial diet (control) to determine the dynamic effects of larval host quality on over-wintering physiology and mortality. Energy reserves (glycogen and lipid), super-cooling points (SCPs), low-molecular-weight sugars, temperature, and mortality were monitored from November 2002 to April 2003. Lipid content did not change much for each group during over-wintering, but differed according to larval host plants. Larval host plants obviously influence the amount of glycogen, as does time of year: glycogen was lowest in February and increased in early spring. During winter, the mean pupal SCPs increased the most in February, then decreased, and were also affected by larval host plant, i.e. over-wintering pupae reared on kidney bean had the highest SCPs. Levels of glycerol and inositol differed significantly among host plants and months, which peaked in February. Pupal mortality also varied according to larval host plants and time: pupae reached their highest mortality in March and showed host plant differences in January. Records show that February was the coldest month during the period we observed, which corresponded closely to changes in over-wintering characteristics.     

The halo effect: suppression of pink bollworm on non-bt cotton by bt cotton in china

In some previously reported cases, transgenic crops producing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have suppressed insect pests not only in fields planted with such crops, but also regionally on host plants that do not produce Bt toxins. Here we used 16 years of field data to determine if Bt cotton caused this "halo effect" against pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) in six provinces of the Yangtze River Valley of China. In this region, the percentage of cotton hectares planted with Bt cotton increased from 9% in 2000 to 94% in 2009 and 2010. We found that Bt cotton significantly decreased the population density of pink bollworm on non-Bt cotton, with net decreases of 91% for eggs and 95% for larvae on non-Bt cotton after 11 years of Bt cotton use. Insecticide sprays targeting pink bollworm and cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) decreased by 69%. Previously reported evidence of the early stages of evolution of pink bollworm resistance to Bt cotton in China has raised concerns that if unchecked, such resistance could eventually diminish or eliminate the benefits of Bt cotton. The results reported here suggest that it might be possible to find a percentage of Bt cotton lower than the current level that causes sufficient regional pest suppression and reduces the risk of resistance.     

Cannibalism of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) transgenic corn versus non-Bt corn

Because of the importance of cannibalism in population regulation of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in corn, Zea mays L., it is useful to understand the interactions between Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) transgenic corn and cannibalism. To determine the effects of Bt corn on cannibalism in H. zea, pairs of the same or different instars were taken from Bt or non-Bt corn and placed on artificial diet in proximity. Cannibalism occurred in 91% of pairs and was approximately 7% greater for pairs of larvae reared from Bt transgenic corn (95%) than from non-Bt corn (88%). Also, first instar by first instar pairs had a lower rate of cannibalism than other pairs. Time until cannibalism was not different for larvae from Bt corn versus non-Bt corn. Pupation rate of cannibals and surviving victims was not different for pairs from Bt corn versus non-Bt corn. Finally, cannibalism increased pupation rate of cannibals from both Bt and non-Bt corn by approximately 23 and 12%, respectively, although the increases were not significant. Thus, negative effects of Bt on larvae were compensated by increased cannibalism in comparison with larvae reared on non-Bt corn, which increased larval survival to levels comparable with larvae reared on non-Bt plants.     

Effects of transgenic Cry1A＋CpTI cotton and Cry1Ac toxin on the parasitoid, Campoketis chlorideae （Hymenoptera：Ichneumonidae）

Abstract The effect of transgenic double genes, Cry1A + CpTI cotton and Cry1Ac toxin on the parasitoid, Campoketis chlorideae Uchida of cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), was investigated in the laboratory. Helicoverpa armigera larvae when in the first, second and third instar could not survive if fed on transgenic cotton leaves. Consequently, C. chlorideae larvae could not complete their development if parasitizing on such hosts. After H. armigera larvae were reared on transgenic or traditional cotton leaves for 12J48 hours, they were parasitized by C. chlorideae females. Parasitized larvae continued to feed on transgenic or traditional cotton for 12–48 h. The present results showed that the body weight of larvae of the parasitoids were significantly reduced when parasitized hosts fed on transgenic cotton leaves compared to those fed on traditional cotton. Duration of egg and larvae stage were significantly prolonged, pupal and adult weight of C. chloridae was decreased when the host larvae fed on transgenic cotton leaves longer than 48 h. The development duration of C. chlorideae pupae on the hosts fed on transgenic cotton leaves in each treatment was not significantly different from those of controls. The longevity of parasitoid females and males fed with a solution containing Cry1Ac toxin was not significantly different with that of the control.     

Fitness costs and maternal effects associated with resistance to transgenic cotton in the pink bollworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae).

Transgenic cotton producing a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin is widely used for controlling the pink bollworm, Perctinophora gossypiella (Saunders). We compared performance of pink bollworm strains resistant to Bt cotton with performance of their susceptible counterparts on non-Bt cotton. We found fitness costs that reduced survival on non-Bt cotton by an average of 51.5% in two resistant strains relative to the susceptible strains. The survival cost was recessive in one set of crosses between a resistant strain and the susceptible strain from which it was derived. However, crosses involving an unrelated resistant and susceptible strain indicated that the survival cost could be dominant. Development time on non-Bt cotton did not differ between the two related resistant and susceptible strains. A slight recessive cost affecting development time was suggested by comparison of the unrelated resistant and susceptible strains. Maternal effects transmitted by parents that had eaten Bt-treated artificial diet as larvae had negative effects on embryogenesis, adult fertility, or both, and reduced the ability of neonates to enter cotton bolls. These results provide further evidence that fitness costs associated with the evolution of resistance to Bt cotton are substantial in the pink bollworm.     

转Bt基因棉花国抗62对棉铃虫生长发育的影响及田间抗虫效果

为了明确新疆第一个自主转Bt基因棉花品种国抗62对棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera生长发育影响及田间抗虫效果,2005年进行了室内生物测定和田间小区试验。在室内以国抗62（转Cry1Ac基因棉花）和中棉35（对照常规棉花）的叶片饲喂棉铃虫幼虫,从幼虫发育历期、体重、存活率、化蛹等方面,分析了棉铃虫生长发育动态。结果表明,国抗62对棉铃虫生长发育的抑制作用非常显著。与对照相比,取食国抗62的棉铃虫幼虫1～6龄龄期分别延长了1.0,7.8,8.2,17.8,20.3和＞21.3天;幼虫发育到6龄时存活率仅为2.6%,最终无一化蛹,而对照幼虫发育到6龄时存活率为91.8%,最终化蛹率为89.8%。田间小区调查结果显示国抗62对第2代棉铃虫有非常好的抗虫效果：两个品种棉田棉铃虫落卵量无显著差异,但国抗62棉田比对照棉田虫口数量降低85.7%,顶尖被害率降低94.4%,蕾铃被害率降低95.1%,差异达到显著和极显著水平。但国抗62对第3代棉铃虫的田间抗虫效果欠佳。棉铃虫在新疆棉田以第2代为害为主,因此,国抗62能够起到有效的控制作用。     

转Btc-ry1 Ah基因玉米花粉对龟纹瓢虫解毒酶和中肠蛋白酶活性的影响

研究了取食转Bt-cry1Ah基因玉米花粉对龟纹瓢虫Propylaea japonica（Thunberg）体内解毒酶和中肠蛋白酶活性的影响。利用饲喂结合比色方法,比较龟纹瓢虫取食转Bt-cry1Ah基因玉米花粉和非转基因玉米花粉后体内α-乙酸萘酯酶、乙酰胆碱酯酶、谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶、中肠总蛋白酶、类胰蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶的酶活性。结果发现：在解毒酶方面,取食Bt玉米花粉的龟纹瓢虫4龄幼虫和蛹的α-乙酸萘酯酶活性显著低于取食非Bt玉米花粉的龟纹瓢虫（对照组）,取食Bt玉米花粉的龟纹瓢虫的乙酰胆碱酯酶和谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶活性在各个发育时期与对照相比均无显著差异。在中肠蛋白酶方面,与对照组相比,取食Bt玉米花粉的龟纹瓢虫的总蛋白酶和强碱性类胰蛋白酶活性在各个发育时期均无显著差异;但取食Bt玉米花粉的龟纹瓢虫的弱碱性类胰凝蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性在蛹期显著低于取食非Bt玉米花粉的龟纹瓢虫。由此可见,龟纹瓢虫取食含有Cry1Ah杀虫蛋白的玉米花粉后,体内代谢解毒酶和中肠蛋白酶与Cry1Ah杀虫蛋白相互作用,可能会引起某些酶活性的变化。因此,转cry1Ah基因玉米花粉对龟纹瓢虫的潜在影响还需要进一步的研究。     

转基因抗棉铃虫抗草甘膦棉花对棉铃虫的抗虫性及对二种地老虎幼虫生长发育的影响

为了明确转Bt Cry1A+CP4EPSPS基因抗棉铃虫抗草甘膦棉花对棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera(Hübner)的抗性水平及对八字地老虎Amathes c-nigrum和黄地老虎Agrotis segetum的影响,作者用转基因棉花和非转基因棉花叶片对棉铃虫、八字地老虎和黄地老虎幼虫进行了室内饲养观察。结果表明,转基因抗棉铃虫抗草甘膦棉花对新疆南部第2代棉铃虫表现为中抗,幼虫校正死亡率为70.4%;棉花叶片在整个生育期均能表达Bt毒蛋白,整个生育期Bt毒蛋白含量呈逐渐降低的趋势。转基因抗棉铃虫抗草甘膦棉花对八字地老虎幼虫有强烈的毒杀作用,可以引起幼虫大量死亡,对存活幼虫的生长发育也有明显的抑制作用,幼虫发育迟缓,不能顺利化蛹;但对黄地老虎幼虫没有明显的影响,幼虫可以正常生长。     

Modification of hormonal balance in larvae of the corn borer Sesamia nonagrioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) due to sublethal Bacillus thuringiensis protein ingestion

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn, Zea mays L., is highly efficient against the corn borer Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefèbvre) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) when the larvae feed only on the transgenic plants. However, when they feed on Bt leaves during only part of their development, thus ingesting sublethal amounts of Bt toxins, some larvae survive. A previous study reported a prolonged development and precocious diapause induction in larvae fed on a diet with sublethal amounts of Cry1Ab protein. To determine whether these effects were accompanied by a modification of the hormonal balance, S. nonagrioides larvae were fed on sublethal amounts of Bt protein provided in Bt leaves or in the diet. The larvae that survived had higher levels of juvenile hormone (JH), whereas their level of ecdysteroids did not increase sufficiently to allow pupation, leading to a longer larval development and more larval molts. This response may be considered a defense mechanism that allows some larvae to survive toxin ingestion; it is similar the response to insecticidal toxins or viruses observed in other larvae. Changes in the hormone levels in diapausing larvae were undetectable, probably because these changes were masked by the higher level of JH in the hemolymph of diapausing larvae and because of lack of ecdysteroid titer increase, a phenomenon that is usually observed a few days before pupation in nondiapausing larvae. These results should be taken into account in the establishment of non-Bt refuges to prevent development of Bt-resistance in S. non-agrioides populations.     

转Bt基因抗虫棉对棉铃虫拒食作用及其机理研究

转Bt基因抗虫棉对 3 ,4,5龄棉铃虫幼虫的抗性表现形式为拒食作用 ,且随幼虫龄期的增加拒食作用明显降低 ,其中对 5龄幼虫的拒食作用很低。取食Bt棉后 ,3 ,4,5龄棉铃虫幼虫中肠消化酶比活力均较对照有所减退 ,且随幼虫龄期的增加减退率明显降低 ,其中对 5龄幼虫减退率最低。由此 ,解释了Bt棉对 3龄及 3龄以上棉铃虫幼虫抗性表现形式、抗性随不同幼虫龄期的差异性 ,及其抗性差异性的消化机理。     

棉铃虫一种新的实用人工饲料(英文)

本文报道饲养棉铃虫的一种新的含有番茄酱的实用人工饲料。取食这种饲料时,绝大部分幼虫只有5个龄期。因此,幼虫历期大为缩短。在该饲料中加入适量绿豆粉取代麦胚能在一定程度上提高成虫的繁殖力。在连续12代饲养期间,幼虫期存活率在87．5％－98．7％之间,蛹期死亡率不到5％;第11代成虫平均产卵千粒左右,孵化率达86．5％。这些结果表明,经过2年连续饲养后,棉铃虫的活力并没有明显的降低。