Response to a Synthetic Pheromone Source by OX4319L, a Self-Limiting Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) Strain, and Field Dispersal Characteristics of Its Progenitor Strain

Abstract

The Diamondback Moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is a global pest that infests vegetable and field crops within the Brassica family. A genetically engineered strain of P. xylostella, OX4319L, carrying a self-limiting gene, has shown potential for managing P. xylostella populations, using sustained releases of OX4319L male moths. In order for such a strain to provide control, the transgenic individuals must exhibit attraction to female P. xylostella sex pheromone and adequate dispersal in the field. In this study, we tested these key traits. First, we compared the responses of the OX4319L male moths to a synthetic female sex pheromone source in wind tunnel trials to those of males from three other strains. We found that OX4319L males responded comparably to strains of non-engineered males, with all males flying upwind towards the pheromone source. Second, we used mark-release-recapture studies of a wildtype P. xylostella strain, from which the OX4319L strain was originally developed, to assess dispersal under field conditions. Released males were recaptured using both pheromone-baited and passive traps within a 2.83 ha circular cabbage field, with a recapture rate of 7.93 percent. Males were recaptured up to the boundary of the field at 95 m from the central release point. The median dispersal of males was 14 m. These results showed the progenitor strain of OX4319L retained its ability to disperse within a host field. The results of these experiments are discussed in relation to the potential for the effective use of engineered male-selecting P. xylostella strains under field conditions.

Bioobjectification: A Novel Approach in IPM

“…The moths were placed at the bottom and the behaviour was found similar among all four strains of diamondback moth on the basis of three check points whether they take flight, fly upwind direction or reach close to lure. This result confirmed that, transgenic and wild diamondback moth strains showed almost similar response towards female sex pheromone (Bolton et al, 2019).…”

Adequacy and sufficiency evaluation of existing EFSA guidelines for the molecular characterisation, environmental risk assessment and post‐market environmental monitoring of genetically modified insects containing engineered gene drives

“…albopictus, Anopheles albimanus and An. stephensi (Fu et al, 2010;Wise de Valdez et al, 2011;Labb e et al, 2012;Slade and Morrison, 2014) and agricultural pests such as the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella; strain OX4319L; Harvey-Samuel et al, 2015;Bolton et al, 2019), fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda; strain OX4319; Jin et al, 2013), pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella; strains OX3402C, OX4135 and OX4319; Simmons et al, 2011;Morrison et al, 2012;Jin et al, 2013), Mediterranean fruit fly (C. capitata; strain OX3864A; Leftwich et al, 2014;Asadi et al, 2019) and olive fly (Bactrocera oleae; strain OX3097D; Ant et al, 2012;Turner et al, 2018). These strains also express the fluorescent protein marker, DsRed, to permit the effective monitoring of the presence of such strains in the field.…”

The value of existing regulatory frameworks for the environmental risk assessment of agricultural pest control using gene drives

“…This self-limiting technology is also being developed to control arthropod pest species such as the fall army worm (Spodotera frugiperda), diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), olive fly (Bactrocera olea), Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) and the spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) (www.oxitec.com). Small scale field trials took place in 2017 in Geneva (NY, USA) with the OX4319L diamondback moth to test dispersal, survival and efficacy in suppression of the local diamondback moth population on cotton (Bolton et al, 2019). Previous glasshouse experiments have demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach (Harvey-Samuel et al, 2015).…”