The Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), and Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier), are two globally distributed stored-grain pests. Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the impact that corn (Zea mays L.) kernels (i.e., grain) of some Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) corn hybrids containing CrylAb Bt delta-endotoxin have on life history attributes of Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth. Stored grain is at risk to damage from Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth; therefore, Bt corn may provide a means of protecting this commodity from damage. Thus, the objective of this research was to quantify the effects of transgenic corn seed containing CrylAb delta-endotoxin on Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth survival, fecundity, and duration of development. Experiments with Bt grain, non-Bt isolines, and non-Bt grain were conducted in environmental chambers at 27 +/- 1 degrees C and > or = 60% RH in continuous dark. Fifty eggs were placed in ventilated pint jars containing 170 g of cracked or whole corn for the Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth, respectively. Emergence and fecundity were observed for 5 wk. Emergence and fecundity of Indian meal moth and emergence of Angoumois grain moth were significantly lower for individuals reared on P33V08 and N6800Bt, MON 810 and Bt-11 transformed hybrids, respectively, than on their non-Bt transformed isolines. Longer developmental times were observed for Indian meal moth reared on P33V08 and N6800Bt than their non-Bt-transformed isolines. These results indicate that MON 810 and Bt-11 CrylAb delta-endotoxin-containing kernels reduce laboratory populations of Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth. Thus, storing Bt-transformed grain is a management tactic that warrants bin scale testing and may effectively reduce Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth populations in grain without application of synthetic chemicals or pesticides.

Several Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) Cry proteins including Cry 1Ab, Cry 1Ac, and Cry 9C, have been observed at relatively high levels in Bt corn grain using the CaMV 35S promoter. Thus, a laboratory experiment was conducted to quantify the impact of DeKalb 679 BTY Cry 1 Ab (MON 810) and Garst 8600 BLT Cry 9C (CBH 351) transgenic grain on Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), and Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier), survival, development and fecundity. Eggs of Indianmeal moth or Angoumois grain moth were added to cracked or whole kernel corn. Emergence and fecundity were recorded for 5 wks. Emergence and fecundity of both moth species was reduced on both Cry 1Ab and Cry 9C-transformed corn, but only Cry 1 Ab-transformed corn delayed development of Indianmeal moth. Results indicate that populations of these moths may be negatively impacted in grain bins by Bt corn hybrids and that lepidopteran populations should be monitored in field-scale assays to examine the effects of the presence of Bt corn hybrids on insects in storage environments.