Location: Southern Insect Management Research
Project Number: 6066-22000-091-009-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 15, 2020
End Date: Aug 15, 2025
Objective:
Bollworm (Helicoverpa zea) will be collected weekly throughout the growing season (May through October) using pheromone traps. Insect collections will be shipped to ARS for genetic analyses to determine temporal and spatial genetic variation in bollworm populations.
Approach:
Insects will be collected weekly using pheromone traps located in Lancaster and Centre counties in Pennsylvania during the growing season. A polymorphic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker panel will be used to genotype DNA extracted from moths. Genotype data will be analyzed to estimate population genetic parameters such as genetic diversity, genetic divergence, gene flow rates, and migration rates. In addition, all DNA samples will be tested for the presence of invasive old world bollworm (OWBW) Helicoverpa armigera.
