Occurrence, distribution, and ear damage of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in mixed plantings of non-Bt and Bt corn containing Genuity® SmartStax™ traits

Fei Yang; David L. Kerns; Graham P. Head; B. Rogers Leonard; Ying Niu; Fangneng Huang

doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2013.10.012

Occurrence, distribution, and ear damage of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in mixed plantings of non-Bt and Bt corn containing Genuity^® SmartStax™ traits

Fei Yang, David L. Kerns, Graham P. Head, B. Rogers Leonard, Ying Niu, Fangneng Huang

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

Protein contamination on refuge kernels due to cross-pollination from Bt corn to non-Bt corn ears is a major concern in the use of a seed mixture refuge strategy ("RIB") for resistance management of ear-feeding pests. In this study, occurrence, distribution, and ear damage of the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), were evaluated in three planting patterns of non-Bt and Bt corn plants containing Genuity^® SmartStax™ traits. The three planting patterns were 1) pure stands of 27 Bt plants; 2) pure stands of 27 non-Bt plants; and 3) one non-Bt plant in the center surrounded by 26 Bt plants. A total of six trials were conducted in open field conditions with natural infestations in 2011 and 2012. Egg populations of H.zea were distributed randomly or uniformly, and the number of eggs laid was similar between Bt and non-Bt corn ears regardless of the planting patterns, suggesting that females of H.zea have no egg-laying preference between Bt and non-Bt plants. Bt corn plants containing Genuity^® SmartStax™ traits were equally effective in the control of H.zea in pure stands of Bt corn and "RIB" plantings. Occurrence of larvae and ear damage on Bt corn were significantly lower than on non-Bt plants and there were no significant differences between pure stands of Bt and "RIB" plantings across all trials. However, the limited numbers of live larvae in the pure stands of Bt plants were distributed non-randomly, suggesting a possibility of uneven expression of Bt proteins or elevated larval movement in the pure stands of Bt plants. Larval occurrence (3rd-5th instars) and ear damage on the refuge ears in "RIB" plantings were similar to or greater than found on ears of pure stands of non-Bt plants. However, more studies are needed to understand the effect of pollen movement on the full life cycle of H.zea before a final conclusion on the refuge function of RIB planting can be made.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	127-132
Number of pages	6
Journal	Crop Protection
Volume	55
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2013.10.012
State	Published - Jan 2014
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to express appreciation to Drs. Gregg Henderson, James Ottea, and Claudia Husseneder for reviewing an earlier draft of the manuscript. We also thank Dr. David Blouin (Department of Experimental Statistics, Louisiana State University) for providing assistance in the statistical analysis. This article is published with the approval of the Director of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station as manuscript No. 2013-234-9689. This project represents work supported by the Louisiana Soybean and Feed Grain Promotion Board and Monsanto Company .

Keywords

Bacillus thuringiensis
Helicoverpa zea
Resistance management
Seed mixture refuge strategy
Transgenic crops

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Publisher link

10.1016/j.cropro.2013.10.012

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Cite this

@article{579a54baf87b450f90a414148933197f,

title = "Occurrence, distribution, and ear damage of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in mixed plantings of non-Bt and Bt corn containing Genuity{\textregistered} SmartStax{\texttrademark} traits",

abstract = "Protein contamination on refuge kernels due to cross-pollination from Bt corn to non-Bt corn ears is a major concern in the use of a seed mixture refuge strategy ({"}RIB{"}) for resistance management of ear-feeding pests. In this study, occurrence, distribution, and ear damage of the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), were evaluated in three planting patterns of non-Bt and Bt corn plants containing Genuity{\textregistered} SmartStax{\texttrademark} traits. The three planting patterns were 1) pure stands of 27 Bt plants; 2) pure stands of 27 non-Bt plants; and 3) one non-Bt plant in the center surrounded by 26 Bt plants. A total of six trials were conducted in open field conditions with natural infestations in 2011 and 2012. Egg populations of H.zea were distributed randomly or uniformly, and the number of eggs laid was similar between Bt and non-Bt corn ears regardless of the planting patterns, suggesting that females of H.zea have no egg-laying preference between Bt and non-Bt plants. Bt corn plants containing Genuity{\textregistered} SmartStax{\texttrademark} traits were equally effective in the control of H.zea in pure stands of Bt corn and {"}RIB{"} plantings. Occurrence of larvae and ear damage on Bt corn were significantly lower than on non-Bt plants and there were no significant differences between pure stands of Bt and {"}RIB{"} plantings across all trials. However, the limited numbers of live larvae in the pure stands of Bt plants were distributed non-randomly, suggesting a possibility of uneven expression of Bt proteins or elevated larval movement in the pure stands of Bt plants. Larval occurrence (3rd-5th instars) and ear damage on the refuge ears in {"}RIB{"} plantings were similar to or greater than found on ears of pure stands of non-Bt plants. However, more studies are needed to understand the effect of pollen movement on the full life cycle of H.zea before a final conclusion on the refuge function of RIB planting can be made.",

keywords = "Bacillus thuringiensis, Helicoverpa zea, Resistance management, Seed mixture refuge strategy, Transgenic crops",

author = "Fei Yang and Kerns, {David L.} and Head, {Graham P.} and Leonard, {B. Rogers} and Ying Niu and Fangneng Huang",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to express appreciation to Drs. Gregg Henderson, James Ottea, and Claudia Husseneder for reviewing an earlier draft of the manuscript. We also thank Dr. David Blouin (Department of Experimental Statistics, Louisiana State University) for providing assistance in the statistical analysis. This article is published with the approval of the Director of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station as manuscript No. 2013-234-9689. This project represents work supported by the Louisiana Soybean and Feed Grain Promotion Board and Monsanto Company .",

year = "2014",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.cropro.2013.10.012",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "55",

pages = "127--132",

journal = "Crop Protection",

issn = "0261-2194",

publisher = "Elsevier BV",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Occurrence, distribution, and ear damage of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in mixed plantings of non-Bt and Bt corn containing Genuity® SmartStax™ traits

AU - Yang, Fei

AU - Kerns, David L.

AU - Head, Graham P.

AU - Leonard, B. Rogers

AU - Niu, Ying

AU - Huang, Fangneng

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to express appreciation to Drs. Gregg Henderson, James Ottea, and Claudia Husseneder for reviewing an earlier draft of the manuscript. We also thank Dr. David Blouin (Department of Experimental Statistics, Louisiana State University) for providing assistance in the statistical analysis. This article is published with the approval of the Director of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station as manuscript No. 2013-234-9689. This project represents work supported by the Louisiana Soybean and Feed Grain Promotion Board and Monsanto Company .

PY - 2014/1

Y1 - 2014/1

N2 - Protein contamination on refuge kernels due to cross-pollination from Bt corn to non-Bt corn ears is a major concern in the use of a seed mixture refuge strategy ("RIB") for resistance management of ear-feeding pests. In this study, occurrence, distribution, and ear damage of the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), were evaluated in three planting patterns of non-Bt and Bt corn plants containing Genuity® SmartStax™ traits. The three planting patterns were 1) pure stands of 27 Bt plants; 2) pure stands of 27 non-Bt plants; and 3) one non-Bt plant in the center surrounded by 26 Bt plants. A total of six trials were conducted in open field conditions with natural infestations in 2011 and 2012. Egg populations of H.zea were distributed randomly or uniformly, and the number of eggs laid was similar between Bt and non-Bt corn ears regardless of the planting patterns, suggesting that females of H.zea have no egg-laying preference between Bt and non-Bt plants. Bt corn plants containing Genuity® SmartStax™ traits were equally effective in the control of H.zea in pure stands of Bt corn and "RIB" plantings. Occurrence of larvae and ear damage on Bt corn were significantly lower than on non-Bt plants and there were no significant differences between pure stands of Bt and "RIB" plantings across all trials. However, the limited numbers of live larvae in the pure stands of Bt plants were distributed non-randomly, suggesting a possibility of uneven expression of Bt proteins or elevated larval movement in the pure stands of Bt plants. Larval occurrence (3rd-5th instars) and ear damage on the refuge ears in "RIB" plantings were similar to or greater than found on ears of pure stands of non-Bt plants. However, more studies are needed to understand the effect of pollen movement on the full life cycle of H.zea before a final conclusion on the refuge function of RIB planting can be made.

AB - Protein contamination on refuge kernels due to cross-pollination from Bt corn to non-Bt corn ears is a major concern in the use of a seed mixture refuge strategy ("RIB") for resistance management of ear-feeding pests. In this study, occurrence, distribution, and ear damage of the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), were evaluated in three planting patterns of non-Bt and Bt corn plants containing Genuity® SmartStax™ traits. The three planting patterns were 1) pure stands of 27 Bt plants; 2) pure stands of 27 non-Bt plants; and 3) one non-Bt plant in the center surrounded by 26 Bt plants. A total of six trials were conducted in open field conditions with natural infestations in 2011 and 2012. Egg populations of H.zea were distributed randomly or uniformly, and the number of eggs laid was similar between Bt and non-Bt corn ears regardless of the planting patterns, suggesting that females of H.zea have no egg-laying preference between Bt and non-Bt plants. Bt corn plants containing Genuity® SmartStax™ traits were equally effective in the control of H.zea in pure stands of Bt corn and "RIB" plantings. Occurrence of larvae and ear damage on Bt corn were significantly lower than on non-Bt plants and there were no significant differences between pure stands of Bt and "RIB" plantings across all trials. However, the limited numbers of live larvae in the pure stands of Bt plants were distributed non-randomly, suggesting a possibility of uneven expression of Bt proteins or elevated larval movement in the pure stands of Bt plants. Larval occurrence (3rd-5th instars) and ear damage on the refuge ears in "RIB" plantings were similar to or greater than found on ears of pure stands of non-Bt plants. However, more studies are needed to understand the effect of pollen movement on the full life cycle of H.zea before a final conclusion on the refuge function of RIB planting can be made.

KW - Bacillus thuringiensis

KW - Helicoverpa zea

KW - Resistance management

KW - Seed mixture refuge strategy

KW - Transgenic crops

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