Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Southern Insect Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #176597
Title: GENETIC REPRESENTATION OF PHEROMONE TRAP-CAPTURES HELIOTHIS VIRESCENS AND HELICOVERPA ZEA (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) MALES MASS MATED WITH LABORATORY-REARED FEMALES

Author
item Blanco, Carlos
item Sumerford, Douglas
item Lopez, Juan De Dios
item HERNANDEZ, GERARDO - CINVESTAV, MEXICO CITY

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/14/2005
Publication Date: 9/8/2006
Citation: Blanco, C.A., Sumerford, D.V., Lopez, J., Hernandez, G. 2006. Genetic representation of pheromone trap-captures heliothis virescens and helicoverpa zea (lepidoptera: noctuidae) males mass mated with laboratory-reared females. Meeting Abstract. 10:105-113

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The development of Bacillus thuringiensis insecticide resitance in important cotton pests such as tobacco budworm and bollworm is of concern to research institutions, regulatory agencies, industry and the general public. Documenting the development (or lack thereof) of resistance by monitoring the susceptibility shifts of these pests to B. thuringiensis, serves as an indicator of the effectiveness of modern agricultural biotechnology. Testing the offspring of moths captured in field is one of the most reliable indicators of the susceptibility of field populations. Laboratory-reared females mass mated with pheromone trap-captured or laboratory-reared males were studied in order to optimize the number of days when the male's genetic representation is at its peak and female's offspring is maximized. Females mated with pheromone-captured males obtained their highest number of copulations, produced the largest proportion of fertile eggs and lived longer when mass mated for 2 days. Tobacco budworm male moths (pheromone-captures and laboratory-reared) copulated more often than bollworms. Field captured moths in both species copulated with lower frequency than laboratory-reared males. Higher mortality was observed in laboratory-reared males and females in the presence of the opposite sex than under same-sex mass mating conditions at the same crowding ratio, indicating that copulations carry important consequences in longevity. From the information obtained, in order to establish a colony from field-captured tobacco budworm or bollworm males, with the goal of maximizing their genetic diversity, mass mating should last only 2 days. After that point, sexes should be separated to avoid extra copulations that potentially can reduce the gene pool and further reduce their live span.