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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Southern Insect Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #290912
Title: Susceptibility of Cry1Ab maize-resistant and –susceptible strains of sugarcane borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) to four individual Cry proteins

Author
item ZHANG, LIPING - Louisiana State University
item HUANG, FANGNENG - Louisana State University
item LEONARD, ROGERS - Louisana State University
item CHEN, MAO - Monsanto Corporation
item CLARK, THOMAS - Monsanto Corporation
item Zhu, Yu Cheng
item WANGILA, DAVID - Louisana State University
item YANG, FEI - Louisana State University
item NIU, YING - Louisana State University

Submitted to: Journal of Invertebrate Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/15/2012
Publication Date: 3/1/2013
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/56896
Citation: Zhang, L., Huang, F., Leonard, R., Chen, M., Clark, T., Zhu, Y., Wangila, D., Yang, F., Niu, Y. 2013. Susceptibility of Cry1Ab maize-resistant and –susceptible strains of sugarcane borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) to four individual Cry proteins. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 112(3):267-272.

Interpretive Summary: Sugarcane borer is a major target of Bt corn in South America and many areas of the U.S. mid-south region. Six laboratory strains of sugarcane borer were established from six single-pair mating families possessing major resistance gene alleles to Cry1Ab corn hybrids. Susceptibility of the six strains was evaluated on diet treated with each of four purified Bt proteins, Cry1Ab, Cry1Aa, Cry1Ac and Cry1F. Bt susceptibility of the six strains was compared with that of known Cry1Ab-susceptible and -resistant strains of the sugarcane borer. At least two of the six strains demonstrated a similar level (>-526-fold) of resistance to Cry1Ab as shown in the known Cry1Ab-resistant strain, while resistance levels were relatively lower for other strains (116- to 129-fold). All the six strains were highly cross-resistant to Cry1Aa (71- to 292-fold) and Cry1Ac (30- to 248-fold), but only with a low level to Cry1F (<7-fold). Larval growth of all six strains was also inhibited on Bt-treated diet, but, except for Cry1F, the growth inhibition of the six strains was considerably less than that of the Cry1Ab-susceptible larvae. The results provide clear evidence that the observed resistance to Cry1Ab corn in the six strains is a result of resistance to the Cry1Ab protein in the plants. The low level of cross-resistance between Cry1A and Cry1F suggests that pyramiding these two types of Bt proteins into a plant could be a good strategy for managing sugarcane borer.

Technical Abstract: Sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), is a major target of Bt maize in South America and many areas of the U.S. mid-south region. Six laboratory strains of D. saccharalis were established from six single-pair F2 families possessing major resistance alleles to Cry1Ab maize hybrids. Susceptibility of the six strains was evaluated on diet treated with each of four purified trypsin-activated Bt proteins, Cry1Ab, Cry1Aa, Cry1Ac and Cry1F. Bt susceptibility of the six strains was compared with that of known Cry1Ab-susceptible and -resistant strains of D. saccharalis. At least two of the six strains demonstrated a similar level (>-526-fold) of resistance to Cry1Ab as shown in the known Cry1Ab-resistant strain, while resistance levels were relatively lower for other strains (116- to 129-fold). All the six strains were highly cross-resistant to Cry1Aa (71- to 292-fold) and Cry1Ac (30- to 248-fold), but only with a low level to Cry1F (<7-fold). Larval growth of all six strains was also inhibited on Bt-treated diet, but, except for Cry1F, the growth inhibition of the six strains was considerably less than that of the Cry1Ab-susceptible larvae. The results provide clear evidence that the observed resistance to Cry1Ab maize in the six strains is a result of resistance to the Cry1Ab protein in the plants. The low level of cross-resistance between Cry1A and Cry1F suggests that pyramiding these two types of Bt proteins into a plant could be a good strategy for managing D. saccharalis.