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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #236423
Title: Transgenic cotton age effects on lepidopteran larvae mortality

Author
item Greenberg, Shoil
item LI, Y.-X - TEXAS AGRILIFE RESEARCH
item LIU, T.-X - TEXAS AGRILIFE RESEARCH

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/5/2009
Publication Date: 5/26/2009
Citation: Greenberg, S.M., Li, Y., Liu, T. 2009. Transgenic cotton age effects on lepidopteran larvae mortality. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Leaves from plants containing various transgenic traits (Non-Bt, Bollgard, Bollgard II, and WideStrike)were assayed for bioactivity in the laboratory against bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), beet armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), and cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner). About 50 leaves from the middle of the plants were collected every 20 d, starting at 40d after cotton was planted (DAP) and until 120 DAP. Leaves from each collection were used for feeding of about 15 neonate or first instar larvae of each insect described above until they died (or pupated). The highest larval mortality showed on Bollgard II and WideStrike Bt traits. Mortality was not significantly different between both dual Bt traits during the growing season. At the end of the season (120 DAP), the mortality of all insects used was lower on WideStrike than on Bollgard II trait. We did not observe cotton age effects on the mortality tested insects. Survival durations depended from consumption of the endotoxin levels that provoke the larvae mortality. Mean biological characteristics of survived lepidopteran, (pupal weight, emergence, and development time) were significantly higher on non-Bt cotton.