Plant-incorporated Bacillus thuringiensis resistance for control of fall armyworm and corn earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in corn

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), and corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), perennially cause leaf and ear damage to corn, Zea mays L., in the southeastern United States. Transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) hybrids with the Bt11, MON810, or 176 events expressing the Cry1Ab insecticidal endotoxin from were evaluated for control fall armyworm and corn earworm at seven locations in Georgia during 1999 and 2000. Corn was planted at the recommended time for each location and 1 and 2 mo later in the southern locations. All Bt events consistently reduced whorl infestation and damage, although event 176 did not prevent whorl damage in the later plantings in the southern locations in both years. All events also reduced seedling damage by the lesser cornstalk borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller), in one trial and stalk infestations and tunnel length by southwestern corn borers, Diatraea grandiosella Dyar, in another trial. Hybrids containing Bt11 and MON810 events reduced ear infestations in all trials, although reductions were small in later plantings. Nevertheless, both events reduced grain damage from earworms and armyworms by an average +/- SE of 52.5 +/- 5.1% in all trials. The hybrid containing event 176 did not reduce ear infestations and damage. Total grain aflatoxin concentrations were not significantly affected by Bt resistance in any trial (N = 17). Yield responses were variable with the prevention of yield loss being proportional to the severity of insect damage. Although plantings made after the recommended time did not consistently benefit from Bt resistance, Bt11 and MON810 events were effective in reducing damage to field corn when large infestations occurred. The Bt11 and MON810 events mitigated the risk of severe lepidopteran damage to corn, thereby making later plantings of corn feasible in double-cropping systems.     

Effects of bacillus thuringiensis transgenic corn on corn earworm and fall armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) densities

We examined 17 pairs of near-isogenic hybrids of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) (176, Mon810, and Bt11) and non-Bt corn, Zea mays L., to examine the effects of Bt on larval densities of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) and Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) during 2 yr. During ear formation, instar densities of H. zea and S. frugiperda were recorded for each hybrid. We found that H. zea first, second, and fifth instar densities were each affected by Mon810 and Bt11 Bt corn but not by 176 corn. Surprisingly, first and second instars were found in higher numbers on ears of Mon810 and Bt11 corn than on non-Bt corn. Densities of third and fourth instars were equal on Bt and non-Bt hybrids, whereas densities of fifth instars were lower on Bt plants. S. frugiperda larval densities were only affected during 1 yr when second, and fourth to sixth instars were lower on ears of Mon810 and Bt11 hybrids compared with their non-Bt counterparts. Two likely explanations for early instar H. zea densities being higher on Bt corn than non-Bt corn are that (1) Bt toxins delay development, creating a greater abundance of early instars that eventually die, and (2) reduced survival of H. zea to later instars on Bt corn decreased the normal asymmetric cannibalism or H. zea-S. frugiperda intraguild predation of late instars on early instars. Either explanation could explain why differences between Bt and non-Bt plants were greater for H. zea than S. frugiperda, because H. zea is more strongly affected by Bt toxins and more cannibalistic.     

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。     

Development,survival and fitness performance of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in MON810 Bt field corn

Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) development, survival, and feeding injury in MON810 transgenic ears of field corn (Zea mays L.) expressing Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki (Bt) Cry1Ab endotoxins were compared with non-Bt ears at four geographic locations over two growing seasons. Expression of Cry1Ab endotoxin resulted in overall reductions in the percentage of damaged ears by 33% and in the amount of kernels consumed by 60%. Bt-induced effects varied significantly among locations, partly because of the overall level and timing of H. zea infestations, condition of silk tissue at the time of egg hatch, and the possible effects of plant stress. Larvae feeding on Bt ears produced scattered, discontinuous patches of partially consumed kernels, which were arranged more linearly than the compact feeding patterns in non-Bt ears. The feeding patterns suggest that larvae in Bt ears are moving about sampling kernels more frequently than larvae in non-Bt ears. Because not all kernels express the same level of endotoxin, the spatial heterogeneity of toxin distribution within Bt ears may provide an opportunity for development of behavioral responses in H. zea to avoid toxin. MON810 corn suppressed the establishment and development of H. zea to late instars by at least 75%. This level of control is considered a moderate dose, which may increase the risk of resistance development in areas where MON810 corn is widely adopted and H. zea overwinters successfully. Sublethal effects of MON810 corn resulted in prolonged larval and prepupal development, smaller pupae, and reduced fecundity of H. zea. The moderate dose effects and the spatial heterogeneity of toxin distribution among kernels could increase the additive genetic variance for both physiological and behavioral resistance in H. zea populations. Implications of localized population suppression are discussed.     

Management of feeding damage and survival of southwestern corn borer and sugarcane borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) with Bacillus thuringiensis transgenic field corn

The efficacy of transgenic corn hybrids expressing an insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) delta-endotoxin from different transformation events was evaluated in field corn, Zea mays L., against the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella Dyar, and sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.). Susceptibilities of neonates and third instars were determined on Bt and non-Bt corn plants (V6 and R1 stages) in field plots and corn leaf tissue feeding exposure in laboratory bioassays. Bt corn hybrids associated with MON810 and CBH351 transformation events sustained significantly less injury by southwestern corn borer and sugarcane borer during mid-whorl stage infestations compared with their respective non-Bt hybrid equivalents. Southwestern corn borer and sugarcane borer feeding injury to ear leaf-sheath and husk tissues during the silking stage of corn was significantly reduced in MON810 and CBH351 Bt corn compared with their respective non-Bt hybrids. However, resistance levels to feeding injury in Bt hybrids associated with the MON810 event were significantly higher than that in the hybrid associated with the CBH351 event. Southwestern corn borer and sugarcane borer caused more feeding injury to husk tissue than to ear leaf-sheath tissue in both Bt and non-Bt hybrids infested during the silking stage. Laboratory performance of the MON810 event against southwestern corn borer and sugarcane borer varied among hybrids associated with the same event. Third instars of southwestern corn borer were highly susceptible to MON810 Bt corn hybrids in leaf tissue experiments. However, sugarcane borer larvae were susceptible to the MON810 event only in one of the Bt hybrids evaluated. Sugarcane borer mortality was significantly lower after 96 h of feeding exposure on CBH351 Bt corn leaf tissue than on MON810 Bt corn leaf tissue. Plant resistance to southwestern corn borer and sugarcane borer increased as plants matured, independent of the presence of a Bt construct. These results are essential to estimate the importance of Bt transgenic corn in areas of southern United States and other areas where mixed populations of southwestern corn borer and sugarcane borer are predominant and cause severe damage to corn production.     

Evaluation of transgenic sweet corn hybrids expressing CryIA (b) toxin for resistance to corn earworm and fall armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Many of the lepidopterous insects which attack sweet corn, Zea mays L., are susceptible to insecticidal proteins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki (Berliner) (Btk). Transgenic sweet corn expressing a synthetic cry gene for production of a Btk-insecticidal protein may provide a more environmentally acceptable means of sweet corn production. Eight transgenic sweet corn hybrids containing a synthetic gene for CryIA(b) protein production (BT11 event) were evaluated for resistance to the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), and fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith). Laboratory tests revealed that all Btk sweet corn hybrids were highly resistant to leaf and silk feeding by neonate 3 and 6 d old corn earworm larvae. Ear damage in the field to the Btk sweet corn hybrids caused by corn earworm was negligible. All Btk sweet corn hybrids, except Btk 95-0901, were moderately resistant to leaf and silk feeding by the fall armyworm. Survival and weight gain were reduced when neonates were fed excised whorl leaves of the Btk plants. Weight gain, but not survival, was reduced when 3- and 6-d-old fall armyworm larvae were fed excised whorl leaves of the Btk plants. Btk sweet corn hybrids appear to be ideal candidates for use in integrated pest management (IPM) programs for both the fresh and processing sweet corn markets, and their use should drastically reduce the quantity of insecticides currently used to control these pests in sweet corn. With appropriate cultural practices, it is highly unlikely that Btk sweet corn will contribute to the development of resistance to Btk proteins in these insects because of the high toxicity of the Cry proteins expressed in these sweet corn hybrids and the harvest of sweet corn ears from fields before larvae can complete development.     

Life history traits of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on non-Bt and Bt transgenic corn hybrids in eastern North Carolina.

Transgenic varieties of field corn that express the CrylAb B. thuringiensis (Bt) toxin in ear tissue present the potential of reducing ear feeding by the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and for reducing the size of populations of the insect infesting other host crops. Life history parameters of H. zea feeding on ears of conventional and Bt field corn varieties were measured in field plots in eastern North Carolina in 1997 and 1998. Transformation events investigated were Mon-810 and Bt-11. Bt corn was found to cause a steady mortality of larvae during development, but permitted approximately 15-40% survival to the prepupal stage compared with non-Bt corn. Mortality of prepupae and pupae from Bt corn was also higher than from non-Bt corn, reducing overall adult production by 65-95%. The larvae that did survive grew more slowly on Bt than on non-Bt corn, and produced pupae that weighed 33% less. Pupation and adult eclosion were delayed by 6-10 d by feeding on Bt corn ears. Corn varieties expressing Bt in ear tissue have the potential to reduce H. zea ear feeding by up to 80%, and the potential to reduce populations emerging from ear-stage corn fields to infest cotton, soybean and other crops by around 75%. To have a measurable effect on area-wide populations, Bt corn varieties would need to be planted in large proportions of corn fields. Extensive planting of varieties such as those tested here, having only moderate effects on H. zea, would raise concerns about rapid evolution of resistance.     

Decreased whorl and ear damage in nine mon810 Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-transgenic corn hybrids compared with their non-Bt counterparts

We examined nine pairs of near-isogenic hybrids of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and non-Bt corn, Zea mays L., at two locations in 1999 and three locations in 2000 to compare the effects of Bt toxins on damage caused by Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) to whorl stage field corn, and ear damage at harvest, as well as yield. We found that whorl damage was less in all Bt hybrids compared with their non-Bt counterparts each year and at each location. Differences in ear damage between Bt and non-Bt hybrids, however, differed in 1999 and 2000. In 1999, only one Bt hybrid, NC+5788Bt, had less ear damage than its non-Bt counterpart at the dryland site, whereas four Bt hybrids, C8120Bt, P31B13Bt, P33VO8Bt, and NC+5788Bt, had less damage at the irrigated site. In 2000, most Bt hybrids had less ear damage than their non-Bt counterparts at each location. Differences in whorl damage did not translate into yield differences. However, variations in ear damage were partially reflected in yield differences. In 1999, P31B13Bt and P33V08Bt had higher yields than their non-Bt counterparts at both sites, whereas in 2000 all Bt hybrids had higher yields. Also, although whorl damage was not correlated with yield, ear damage was negatively correlated with yield; increasing ear damage by H. zea decreased yield for Bt and non-Bt hybrids alike. Overall, depending on location and year, each centimeter of H. zea ear damage reduced yield by between 2 and 13%.     

Effect of MON810 Bt field corn on Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) cannibalism and its implications to resistance development

Pairs of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) larvae reared on diet-incorporated MON810 transgenic leaf tissue of field corn (Zea mays L.) were observed in the laboratory to characterize effects of sublethal levels of Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki (Bt) Cry1Ab endotoxins on cannibalistic behavior and mortality. Feeding on sublethal levels of Bt corn reduced the frequency of cannibalistic behaviors exhibited by H. zea when uneven instars were paired together. Exposure to the Bt endotoxin had no significant effect on when cannibalistic mortality occurred or the level of mortality as a result of cannibalism. Assuming that H. zea larvae reared on nonBt corn tissue behaved in a similar way that resistant larvae would if feeding on Bt tissue, sublethal effects of Cry1Ab intoxication may reduce the chances of successful cannibalism by susceptible larvae and thus play a disproportionate role in the survival of multiple ear infestations. Furthermore, cannibalistic encounters could result in partially resistant larvae feeding on nontoxic food, thus temporarily providing an escape from exposure to the Bt endotoxin. These behavior alterations could increase the selective differential between susceptible individuals and those carrying resistance genes.     

Conventional resistance of experimental maize lines to corn earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), fall armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), southwestern corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), and sugarcane borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Plant resistance is a useful component of integrated pest management for several insects that are economically damaging to maize, Zea mays L. In this study, 15 experimental lines of maize derived from a backcross breeding program were evaluated for resistance to corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie); fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith); southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella Dyar; and sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.). Experimental line 100-R-3 was resistant in the field to leaf feeding by fall armyworm and line 116-B-10 was resistant in the field to leaf feeding by fall armyworm and leaf and stalk feeding by southwestern corn borer. When corn earworm larvae were fed field harvested silks from experimental line 81-9-B in the laboratory, their pupal weights were significantly lower than the pupal weights of larvae that were fed silks from the resistant control, Zapalote Chico. Maysin levels lower than those commonly associated with corn earworm resistance were present in the resistant experimental line, 107-8-7, indicating a new basis confers resistance to corn earworm in this line. These resistant experimental lines will provide plant breeders with new sources of resistance to lepidopterous insects for the development of improved maize breeding populations.     

转Bt基因抗虫玉米对亚洲玉米螟幼虫取食行为的影响

室内研究了转cry1Ab杀虫蛋白基因的Bt抗虫玉米MON81 0和Bt1 1对亚洲玉米螟Ostriniafurnacalis初孵幼虫和3龄幼虫的取食行为、取食选择性和存活率的影响。在48h的非选择性试验中玉米螟初孵幼虫在MON81 0和Bt1 1玉米心叶组织上的幼虫取食率随时间的增加而下降,在对照玉米上的幼虫取食率随时间的增加而上升,两者间差异极显著。初孵幼虫接虫到MON81 0和Bt1 1玉米叶片48h的累计死亡率分别为67 .5 %和47 .5 % ,而在对照玉米上死亡率均为0. 3龄幼虫在Bt和非Bt玉米穗轴组织上的幼虫取食率随时间的增加呈上升趋势,第48h时在Bt和非Bt玉米上的幼虫取食率分别达到77 5 %和1 0 0 % ,差异极显著。选择性试验中,第4～48h内,初孵幼虫在Bt玉米上的幼虫取食率呈下降趋势,第48h时MON81 0和Bt1 1与各自非Bt对照的组合中初孵幼虫的累计死亡率分别为2 5 .0 %和1 7. 5 % ,二者差异不显著。3龄幼虫在Bt玉米和非Bt玉米上的幼虫取食率均随时间的延长而增加,但在非Bt玉米的幼虫取食率增加速度快,与Bt玉米差异极显著。Bt玉米对玉米螟幼虫取食有抑制和忌避作用。     

Field screening of experimental corn hybrids and inbred lines for multiple ear-feeding insect resistance

Identifying and using native insect resistance genes is the core of integrated pest management. In this study, 10 experimental corn, Zea mays L., hybrids and 10 inbred lines were screened for resistance to major ear-feeding insects in the southeastern Coastal Plain region of the United States during 2004 and 2005. Ear-feeding insect damage was assessed at harvest by visual damage rating for the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), and by the percentage of kernels damaged by the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, and stink bugs [combination of Euschistus servus (Say) and southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.)]. Among the eight inbred lines and two control populations examined, C3S1B73-5b was resistant to corn earworm, maize weevil, and stink bugs. In contrast, C3S1B73-4 was resistant to corn earworm and stink bugs, but not to maize weevil. In a similar manner, the corn hybrid S1W*CML343 was resistant to all three ear-feeding insects, whereas hybrid C3S1B73-3*Tx205 was resistant to corn earworm and maize weevil in both growing seasons, but susceptible to stink bugs in 2005. The silk-feeding bioassay showed that corn earworm developed better on corn silk than did fall armyworm. Among all phenotypic traits examined (i.e., corn ear size, husk extension, and husk tightness), only corn ear size was negatively correlated to corn earworm damage in the inbred lines examined, whereas only husk extension (i.e., coverage) was negatively correlated to both corn earworm and maize weevil damage on the experimental hybrids examined. Such information could be used to establish a baseline for developing agronomically elite corn germplasm that confers multiple ear-feeding insect resistance.     

Cross-pollination of nontransgenic corn ears with transgenic Bt corn: efficacy against lepidopteran pests and implications for resistance management

The efficacy of nontransgenic sweet corn, Zea mays L., hybrids cross-pollinated by Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) sweet corn hybrids expressing Cry1Ab toxin was evaluated in both field and laboratory studies in Minnesota in 2000. Non-Bt and Bt hybrids (maternal plants) were cross-pollinated with pollen from both non-Bt and Bt hybrids (paternal plants) to create four crosses. Subsequent crosses were evaluated for efficacy in the field against European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), and corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), and in laboratory bioassays against O. nubilalis. Field studies indicated that crosses with maternal Bt plants led to low levels of survival for both O. nubilalis and H. zea compared with the non-Bt x non-Bt cross. However, the cross between non-Bt ears and Bt pollen led to survival rates of 43 and 63% for O. nubilalis and H. zea larvae, respectively. This intermediate level of survival also was reflected in the number of kernels damaged. Laboratory bioassays for O. nubilalis, further confirmed field results with larval survival on kernels from the cross between non-Bt ears and Bt pollen reaching 60% compared with non-Bt crossed with non-Bt. These results suggest that non-Bt refuge plants, when planted in proximity to Bt plants, and cross-pollinated, can result in sublethal exposure of O. nubilalis and H. zea larvae to Bt and may undermine the high-dose/refuge resistance management strategy for corn hybrids expressing Cry1Ab.     

Effect of husk characters on resistance to corn earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in high-maysin maize populations

Two maize (Zea mays L.) breeding populations with very high concentrations of maysin, a silk-expressed flavone glycoside, were tested for their ability to resist ear damage by the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea Boddie, under field conditions. Tests were conducted in 2000 and 2001 at multiple locations in Georgia. The high maysin populations, EPM6 and SIM6, as well as resistant and susceptible checks, were scored for silk-maysin content, H. zea damage, and husk characters. In 2000, there was a negative correlation between husk tightness and earworm damage at three of five locations, while there was no significant correlation between damage and maysin content at any location. In 2001, EPM6 and SIM6 had approximately ten times the maysin content of the low-maysin control genotypes; nevertheless, earworm damage to EPM6 and SIM6 was either greater than or not significantly different from the low-maysin genotypes at all locations. The resistant control genotype, Zapalote Chico, had significantly less earworm damage than EPM6 and SIM6 for both years at all locations. The results of this study highlight the importance of identifying and quantifying husk and ear traits that are essential to H. zea resistance in maize.     

Binomial sequential sampling plans for late instars of European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), corn earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and damaged kernels in sweet corn ears

Late-season infestations of European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), and corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), were sampled to develop binomial sequential sampling plans for larval infestations and damaged kernels in sweet corn, Zea mays L., ears, near harvest. Fields were sampled to obtain a range of larval densities likely to be encountered over a range of infestation levels and field conditions. Binomial sampling plans were developed for O. nubilalis larvae, H. zea larvae, O. nubilalis, and H. zea larvae combined, and for damaged sweet corn kernels. Observed densities ranged from 0.01 to 4.40 larvae per ear for O. nubilalis, 0.005-1.62 larvae per ear for H. zea, and 0.004-36.12 damaged kernels per ear. Results of resampling analyses, based on the proportion of ears infested with one or more larvae, or damaged kernels, indicated an average sample size of 34-37 ears was necessary to classify whether larval infestations, or the incidence of damaged kernels, exceeded 5%. Two operating characteristic curves are presented for each of the four sampling plans. Initial results, with upper bounds of 0.10, and alpha (type I) and beta (type II) error rates at 0.10 and 0.05, respectively, resulted in a 90% probability of making the correct management decision at infestation levels >10%. To improve performance of the sampling plans, we modified the binomial plans by reducing the upper bound to 0.075, while maintaining the same error rates. This plan resulted in a higher probability (>95%) of making the correct management decision to reject a sweet corn load when infestation levels are >10%.     

Survival of kansas dipel-resistant European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) on Bt and non-Bt corn hybrids

The Kansas Dipel-resistant and susceptible European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), were evaluated in the greenhouse on different Bt transgenic events expressed in corn hybrids. There were important differences in the resistance offered by the different Bt event corn hybrids. Hybrid comparison tests indicate that these Dipel-resistant first-instar European corn borer were not able to survive to adulthood on whorl-stage MON810, Bt11, or 176 Bt event corn plants. Third instars did not survive to adulthood on whorl-stage MON810 or Bt11 event corn plants but a small number of fifth instars were found on whorl-stage DBT418 plants infested with Dipel-resistant larvae. First and third instars of these Dipel-resistant European corn borers caused more leaf-feeding damage and more tunneling on whorl-stage Bt-corn plants than did the Dipel-susceptible European corn borers. However, in the single Bt corn hybrid test, there was no survival of the Dipel-resistant European corn borers on DK580BtX or MAX454 Bt plants 35 to 42 d after they had been infested with first instars. These results demonstrate that the current Kansas selection of Dipel-resistant European corn borer strain cannot establish reproducing populations in the tested Bt corn lines and hybrids.     

Late-instar European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) tunneling and survival in transgenic corn hybrids

Field studies were conducted in 1996 and 1997 to determine injury by and survival of late-instar European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), on genetically altered Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner corn, Zea mays L. Cry1Ab events 176, Bt11, MON810, and MON802; Cry1Ac event DBT418; and Cry9C event CBH351 were evaluated. Plants of each corn hybrid were manually infested with two third-, fourth-, or fifth-instar O. nubilalis. Larvae were held in proximity to the internode of the plant above the ear with a mesh sleeve. Larvae were put on the plants during corn developmental stages V8, V16, R1, R3, R4, R5, and R6. This study shows that not all B. thuringiensis hybrids provide the same protection against O. nubilalis injury. Hybrids with B. thuringiensis events Bt11, MON810, MON802, and CHB351 effectively protected the corn against tunneling by late-instar O. nubilalis. Event 176 was effective in controlling late-instar O. nubilalis during V12 and V16 corn developmental stages; however, significant tunneling occurred by fourth instars during R3 and R5. Event DBT418 was not effective in controlling late-instar O. nubilalis during corn vegetative or reproductive stages of development. Whether the B. thuringiensis hybrids satisfied high- and ultra-high-dose requirements is discussed.     

DiPel-selected Ostrinia nubilalis larvae are not resistant to transgenic corn expressing Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab

The survival of KS-SC DiPel-resistant and -susceptible European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), was evaluated on different tissues from corn, Zea mays L., hybrids, including a nontransgenic and two transgenic corn plants (events MON810 and Bt11) expressing high doses of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1Ab. The survival of Bt-resistant and -susceptible third instars was similar after a 5-d exposure to transgenic plant tissues. Survivors eventually died when returned to Bt corn tissues, but many were able to continue development when transferred to non-Bt corn tissues. Survival of resistant and susceptible larvae also was evaluated in bioassays with dilutions of leaf extracts from the three corn hybrids incorporated in an artificial diet. In these assays, survival was significantly higher for resistant O. nubilalis neonates at three of the five dilutions compared with the susceptible strain, but the resistance ratio was only 2.2- and 2.4-fold for MON810 and Bt11, respectively. The data demonstrate that Bt-resistant and unselected control O. nubilalis larvae were similar in susceptibility to MON810 and Bt11 event corn hybrids. Although we were unable to evaluate the Cry1Ab protein that larvae were exposed to in the transgenic tissue because of company restrictions, Cry1Ab protoxin produced in Escherichia coli was incubated with extracts from non-Bt corn leaves to simulate the in planta effect on the transgenic protein. Cry1Ab protoxin was hydrolyzed rapidly by enzymes in the corn extract into peptide fragments with molecular masses ranging from 132 to 74 kDa, and eventually 58 kDa. Overall, these data suggest that plant enzymes hydrolyze transgenic toxin to one that is functionally activated. Therefore, resistant insect populations with reduced proteinase activity do not seem to pose a threat to the efficacy of commercial MON810 and Bt11 corn hybrids.     

Effects of MON810 Bt field corn on adult emergence of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

A 3-yr study (1996-1998) was conducted to evaluate the effects of MON810 Bt corn on Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) emergence and to determine whether delayed larval development as a result of Bt intoxication results in higher levels of diapause induction and pupal mortality. In the 1997 study, there was no difference in prepupal mortality between corn types, although significantly more prepupae from Bt plots than from non-Bt plots died in emergence buckets before constructing pupal chambers in 1998. In all years, significantly fewer moths emerged from prepupae collected from Bt plots, suggesting that effects of the expressed Cry1Ab extended to the prepupal and pupal stages. Late plantings of corn showed the greatest reductions in moth emergence from Bt corn because environmental conditions were more conducive to trigger diapause at the time H. zea was developing in these plantings. This was supported by a significantly greater proportion of diapausing pupae remaining in the ground in the late plantings of both Bt and non-Bt corn. For April and early May plantings, larval feeding on Bt corn delayed the time to pupation, although there was no significant difference in moth emergence between corn types for those larvae that successfully pupated. Although Bt expression had less impact on the proportion of moths emerging, the actual number of moths emerging from Bt corn was significantly reduced because fewer larvae reached pupation. Delays in adult emergence, along with significant reductions in adult emergence from MON810 Bt corn, should reduce the rates of colonization in soybean and other late host crops but may also result in asynchrony of mating between individuals emerging from Bt and non-Bt corn. This, in turn, may contribute to the evolution of resistance to Bt corn.     

粘虫高龄幼虫对转Bt基因玉米的消化和利用

在室内用重量法研究了粘虫Mythimna separata (Walker)高龄幼虫对转Bt基因玉米MON810和Bt11叶片的消化和利用,以明确Bt玉米对暴食期幼虫取食的影响。结果表明,在连续测定的5天中,取食MON810和Bt11两种Bt玉米叶片时,幼虫存活率和取食量均显著低于各自的对照组幼虫,取食Bt玉米叶片的幼虫体重呈下降趋势,第3 天时分别比第2 天减少12.2 mg 和7.4 mg,而取食对照玉米叶片时的幼虫日增重显著的高于处理组的幼虫,第3 天的日增重分别为100.4 mg 和119.9 mg。取食Bt玉米叶片的幼虫对食物的转化率(ECI和ECD)均为负值,在最初4 天的ECI和ECD都显著低于对照组幼虫,但取食两种非Bt玉米叶片的幼虫的近似消化率(AD) 随取食时间的延长而逐渐下降,取食第5 天分别为20.6 %和15.1 %;而取食MON810和Bt11叶片时幼虫的AD均显著地高于对照组幼虫。