BACKGROUND MON 87701 × MON 89788 × MON 87751 × MON 87708 soybean, that expresses Cry1A.105, Cry2Ab2, and Cry1Ac insecticidal proteins and confers tolerance to glyphosate and dicamba, is a potential tool for managing Spodoptera species in soybean fields in Brazil. In this study, we characterized the lethal and sub‐lethal effects of Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2/Cry1Ac soybean against Spodoptera species and genotypes of Spodoptera frugiperda resistant and susceptible to Cry1 and Cry2 proteins. These evaluations were also conducted with MON 87701 × MON 89788 soybean, which expresses Cry1Ac protein. RESULTS Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2/Cry1Ac soybean caused high lethality in neonates of Spodoptera cosmioides and Spodoptera albula. However, it showed low lethality in S. frugiperda genotypes homozygous for resistance to Cry1 and Cry2 proteins but reduced their population growth potential. No relevant lethal effects of Cry1Ac soybean were detected in the Spodoptera species and genotypes evaluated. Spodoptera frugiperda genotypes heterozygous for Cry1 and Cry2 resistance were controlled by Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2/Cry1Ac soybean, with no insects developing into adults. This Bt soybean also caused intermediate mortality of neonates of Spodoptera eridania (60%–83%) but no surviving larvae developed to adulthood, resulting in population suppression. CONCLUSIONS Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2/Cry1Ac soybean caused high mortality of S. cosmioides, S. albula, and S. frugiperda genotypes susceptible to Cry1 and Cry2 and heterozygous for Cry1 and Cry2 resistance. This Bt soybean also suppressed population growth of S. eridania but had minimal impact on S. frugiperda homozygous for resistance to Cry1 and Cry2 proteins. Cry1Ac soybean had minimal impact on all Spodoptera species and genotypes evaluated. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

The interspecific variation in susceptibility to insecticides by lepidopteran species of soybean [Glycine max L. (Merr.)], cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and maize (Zea mays L.) crops from Brazil were evaluated. Populations of Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), Chrysodeixis includens (Walker), Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith), Spodoptera eridania (Stoll), Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker), and Spodoptera albula (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were collected from 2019 to 2021. Early L3 larvae (F2 generation) were exposed to the formulated insecticides methoxyfenozide, indoxacarb, spinetoram, flubendiamide, and chlorfenapyr in diet-overlay bioassays. The median lethal concentrations (LC50) were used to calculate tolerance ratios (TR) of each species in relation to the most susceptible species to each insecticide. The lowest LC50 values were verified for A. gemmatalis to all insecticides tested. Chrysodeixis includens and most of the Spodoptera species were moderately tolerant to methoxyfenozide (TR < 8.0-fold) and indoxacarb (TR < 39.4-fold), whereas H. armigera was the most tolerant species to methoxyfenozide (TR = 21.5-fold), and indoxacarb (TR = 106.4-fold). Spodoptera cosmioides, S. eridania, and S. albula showed highest tolerance to spinetoram (TR > 1270-fold), S. eridania, S. frugiperda, and S. albula to flubendiamide (TR from 38- to 547-fold), and S. albula to indoxacarb (TR = 138.6-fold). A small variation in susceptibility to chlorfenapyr (TR < 4.4-fold) was found among the lepidopteran evaluated. Our findings indicate a large variation in susceptibility to indoxacarb, spinetoram, and flubendiamide and a relatively low variation in susceptibility to methoxyfenozide and chlorfenapyr by lepidopteran species of soybean, cotton, and maize from Brazil.

Genetically modified (GM) soybeans expressing Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2/Cry1Ac (event MON 87701 × MON 89788 × MON 87751 × MON 87708) and Cry1Ac (event MON 87701 × MON 89788) from Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) are valuable technologies for managing key lepidopteran pests of soybean in South America, but do not provide stand-alone protection against Spodoptera species. Here, we evaluated the use of these Bt soybeans and their integration with insecticides for managing Spodoptera species. Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2/Cry1Ac soybean provided reasonable levels of protection against S. cosmioides, S. albula, and S. eridania. However, S. frugiperda had higher survival on this Bt soybean, and Cry1Ac soybean showed low lethality against all species evaluated. Spodoptera larvae that survived on Bt and non-Bt soybean showed comparable susceptibility to flubendiamide and thiodicarb in diet-overlay bioassays. Regardless of soybean plant type, the field doses of flubendiamide and thiodicarb were effective in controlling surviving Spodoptera larvae. We conclude that Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2/Cry1Ac soybean is effective in controlling S. cosmioides and S. albula, and also has reasonable control of S. eridania, but not S. frugiperda. Cry1Ac soybean provided poor control of all Spodoptera species. Nonetheless, Spodoptera larvae surviving on both Bt and non-Bt soybean were controlled by flubendiamide and thiodicarb. Thus, integrated control tactics would provide effective management of Spodoptera species in Bt soybean fields in South America.

The genetically modified cotton DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 expressing Cry1Ac, Cry1F and Vip3Aa19 from Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) has been cultivated in Brazil since the 2020/2021 season. Here, we assessed the performance of DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 cotton expressing Cry1Ac, Cry1F and Vip3Aa19 against Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), and their hybrid progeny. We also carried out evaluations with DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 cotton containing Cry1Ac and Cry1F. In leaf-disk bioassays, DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 was effective in controlling neonates from laboratory colonies of H. armigera, H. zea and the hybrid progeny (71.9%–100% mortality). On floral bud bioassays using L2 larvae, H. zea presented complete mortality, whereas H. armigera and the hybrid progeny showed <55% mortality. On DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 cotton, the mortality of H. armigera on leaf-disk and floral buds ranged from 60% to 73%, whereas mortality of hybrids was <46%. This Bt cotton caused complete mortality of H. zea larvae from a laboratory colony in the early growth stages, but mortalities were <55% on advanced growth stages and on floral buds. In field studies conducted from 2014 to 2019, DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 cotton was also effective at protecting plants against H. armigera. In contrast, a population of H. zea collected in western Bahia in 2021/2022 on Bt cotton expressing Cry1 and Vip3Aa proteins, showed 63% mortality after 30 d, with insects developing into fifth and sixth instars, on DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 cotton. We conclude that H. armigera, H. zea, and their hybrid progeny can be managed with DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 cotton; however we found the first evidence in Brazil of a significant reduction in the susceptibility to DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 cotton of a population of H. zea collected from Bt cotton in Bahia in 2021/2022.

The objective of this work was to determine the harvest interval for phytomass production of marjoram (Origanum majorana) in summer and winter transplants. Two independent experiments were performed in off-ground cultivation: one with a summer and another with a winter transplant, in a completely randomized design with five harvest intervals (30, 45, 60, 72, and 90 days) and four replicates. The fresh and dry masses of leaves, branches, and aerial part were determined. For each plant, the production accumulated in the harvests was calculated as affected by days after the transplant. The fresh matter mass of the leaves was higher at the intervals of 60 and 90 days, in the summer transplant, and of 72 and 90 days, in the winter transplant. Harvesting at intervals of 60 days in the summer transplant and of 72 days in the winter transplant are appropriate for marjoram phytomass production.