Life History Attributes of Indian Meal Moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Angoumois Grain Moth (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) Reared on Transgenic Corn Kernels

Abstract

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.

Effects of Two Varieties of Bacillus thuringiensis Maize on the Biology of Plodia interpunctella

“…Such low survivorship rates have been recorded in previous studies involving P. interpunctella : 67.5% ± 7.5% [7] or 35.4% [12]. The high mortality may have been the result of one or several possible factors, such as egg transfer techniques, diet quality or experimental stress.…”

“…In our study we used the Indianmeal moth Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), a cosmopolitan and highly destructive storage pest. This insect is an ideal model organism for such studies as it is susceptible to Cry toxins [7,11,12,13,14,15,16], and as Bt -resistant strains have already appeared after prolonged toxin application [13,17,18,19]. Furthermore, the species is easy to study in the laboratory as it feeds on stored products (e.g., grains, milled cereal products, and other commodities).…”

Bacillus thuringiensis var. tenebrionis control of synanthropic mites (Acari: Acaridida) under laboratory conditions

“…The toxicity of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to some stored-product insects has been well described and characterized (e.g., Beegle 1996;Abdel-Razek 2002). Transgenic plants producing Bt pest resistant products are available in the market (Sedlacek et al 2001). The microbial control of mites including Bt has been well documented for phytophagous and free-living species (Chapman and Hoy 1991;Tyurin et al 2006).…”

Management ofSitotroga cerealellain stored cereal grains: a review

“…Transgenic grains are less susceptible to the attack of stored grain pests (Sedlacek et al 2001). Oppert et al (2010) tested Bacillus thuringiensis protoxins Cry1Fa1 and Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1 (Cry1F, Cry34/35Ab1) for efficacy against S. cerealella and P. interpunctella.…”