scholarly journals Hybridizing transgenic Bt cotton with non-Bt cotton counters resistance in pink bollworm

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (21) ◽  
pp. 5413-5418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Wan ◽  
Dong Xu ◽  
Shengbo Cong ◽  
Yuying Jiang ◽  
Yunxin Huang ◽  
...  

Extensive cultivation of crops genetically engineered to produce insecticidal proteins from the bacteriumBacillus thuringiensis(Bt) has suppressed some major pests, reduced insecticide sprays, enhanced pest control by natural enemies, and increased grower profits. However, these benefits are being eroded by evolution of resistance in pests. We report a strategy for combating resistance by crossing transgenic Bt plants with conventional non-Bt plants and then crossing the resulting first-generation (F1) hybrid progeny and sowing the second-generation (F2) seeds. This strategy yields a random mixture within fields of three-quarters of plants that produce Bt toxin and one-quarter that does not. We hypothesized that the non-Bt plants in this mixture promote survival of susceptible insects, thereby delaying evolution of resistance. To test this hypothesis, we compared predictions from computer modeling with data monitoring pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac produced by transgenic cotton in an 11-y study at 17 field sites in six provinces of China. The frequency of resistant individuals in the field increased before this strategy was widely deployed and then declined after its widespread adoption boosted the percentage of non-Bt cotton plants in the region. The correspondence between the predicted and observed outcomes implies that this strategy countered evolution of resistance. Despite the increased percentage of non-Bt cotton, suppression of pink bollworm was sustained. Unlike other resistance management tactics that require regulatory intervention, growers adopted this strategy voluntarily, apparently because of advantages that may include better performance as well as lower costs for seeds and insecticides.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenhui Wang ◽  
Feng Xu ◽  
Yunxin Huang ◽  
Hongqiang Feng ◽  
Peng Wan

Abstract BackgroundTransgenic maize expressing toxins derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) may be commercially planted in northern China where Bt cotton has been planted for more than two decades. While Bt maize brings additional benefits for insect control, it complicates the resistance management of cotton bollworm (CBW), Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), a common target of Bt cotton and Bt maize.ResultsWe developed population genetic models to assess the risk of resistance in CBW when Bt cotton and Bt maize are planted concurrently. Model simulations showed that when natural refuges are absent, the time to resistance (TTR) is less than 10 generations in the case of one-toxin Bt cotton and one-toxin Bt maize, but is more than 30 generations in the case of two-toxin Bt cotton and two-toxin Bt maize. The differences in the TTR between the two cases become greater as the proportion of natural refuge increases. Among the parameters we investigated, the fitness cost has a relatively smaller effect on the TTR, while the dominance of resistance and the proportion of natural refuge have a much greater effect.ConclusionsWe concluded that planting the first generation Bt cotton with Bt maize could significantly increase the risk of CBW resistance to Bt toxins as compared to planting a pyramid two-toxin Bt cotton. The strategies for reducing the risk of CBW resistance include replacing the one-toxin Bt cotton with a pyramid two-toxin Bt cotton, adopting a pyramid two-toxin Bt maize, and maintaining a sufficient proportion of natural refuges.


2016 ◽  
Vol 106 (6) ◽  
pp. 710-717 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.T.A. Luong ◽  
S.J. Downes ◽  
B. Cribb ◽  
L.E. Perkins ◽  
M.P. Zalucki

AbstractIn Australia Bt cotton has been planted since 1996, and has greatly improved the control of its key target Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner). There is no strong evidence that genetically modified cotton has been selected for significant physiological resistance to Bt toxin in field populations. There are many possible explanations for the lack of apparent selection that range from high compliance with the resistance management strategy for this technology to a lack of behavioral preference in key traits such as oviposition that could favor survival. To date most experiments that test oviposition of H. armigera on Bt cotton vs. conventional cotton have been done with susceptible moths. We determine the oviposition preference of a field isolated Bt resistant line of H. armigera and a susceptible counterpart when given a choice of non-Bt cotton and Bt-cotton with the same genetic background, and test whether there is any relationship between oviposition site selection (different plant structures) and the survival of the first instar larvae. Within cotton plants, our experiments consistently showed that both resistant and susceptible moths did not choose plants or plant parts that were less toxic in terms of Bt toxin on which to lay eggs. There was one exception in that susceptible moths were more likely to lay eggs on squares of Bt cotton plants than squares of non-Bt cotton. As expected, the mortality of susceptible H. armigera neonates was significantly higher on structures of Bt cotton plants than on those structures of conventional cotton, and survival was greater on flowers than on other structures of Bt cotton. This confirms opportunities for selection for resistance, and demonstrates no advantage in this respect to carrying resistance genes that might overcome the Bt toxins.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Wang ◽  
Yuemin Ma ◽  
Wei Wei ◽  
Peng Wan ◽  
Kaiyu Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract Evolution of resistance by pests reduces the benefits of transgenic crops that produce insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Here we analyzed resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac in a field-derived strain of pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), a global pest of cotton. We discovered that the r14 allele of the pink bollworm cadherin gene (PgCad1) has a 234-bp insertion in exon 12 encoding a mutant PgCad1 protein that lacks 36 amino acids in cadherin repeat 5 (CR5). A strain homozygous for this allele had 237-fold resistance to Cry1Ac, 1.8-fold cross-resistance to Cry2Ab, and developed from neonate to adult on Bt cotton producing Cry1Ac. Inheritance of resistance to Cry1Ac was recessive and tightly linked with r14. PgCad1 transcript abundance in midgut tissues did not differ between resistant and susceptible larvae. Toxicity of Cry1Ac to transformed insect cells was lower for cells expressing r14 than for cells expressing wild-type PgCad1. Wild-type PgCad1 was transported to the cell membrane, whereas PgCad1 produced by r14 was not. In larval midgut tissue, PgCad1 protein occurred primarily on the brush border membrane only in susceptible larvae. The results imply r14 mediates pink bollworm resistance to Cry1Ac by reduced translation, increased degradation, and/or mislocalization of cadherin.


2019 ◽  
Vol 112 (4) ◽  
pp. 1741-1751
Author(s):  
Lewis R Braswell ◽  
Dominic D Reisig ◽  
Clyde E Sorenson ◽  
Guy D Collins

Abstract Helicoverpa zea Boddie is a common economic pest of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), including transgenic cotton varieties that express Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Helicoverpa zea oviposition is similar in Bt and non-Bt cotton, but behavior of H. zea larvae can be different in the presence of Bt, with neonates moving away from terminals faster in single-toxin Bt than non-Bt cotton or avoiding Bt-treated diet in the lab. We quantified H. zea oviposition and larval distribution on structures within cotton plants in small plot experiments of Cry1Ac + Cry1F cotton for 2 yr under different irrigation and nitrogen treatments. More eggs were oviposited on plants receiving nitrogen application during 2016 and on leaves in the top section of irrigated plants during 2017, but other treatment effects on eggs or larvae were minimal. Helicoverpa zea eggs were most common on leaves in the top third of plants at position zero and middle section of cotton plants throughout the season, but some oviposition occurred on fruiting structures as well. First and second instars were more common on squares in the top section of plants during 2016 and bolls in the middle and lower sections during 2017 due to oviposition lower in the canopy during 2017. During both years, third through fifth instars were more common on bolls in the middle and lower section of plants closer to the main stem. These findings have resistance management implications as extended larval feeding on bolls could optimize nutrition, decrease Bt susceptibility, and potentially influence behavioral resistance.


2002 ◽  
Vol 68 (8) ◽  
pp. 3790-3794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce E. Tabashnik ◽  
Timothy J. Dennehy ◽  
Maria A. Sims ◽  
Karen Larkin ◽  
Graham P. Head ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Crops genetically engineered to produce Bacillus thuringiensis toxins for insect control can reduce use of conventional insecticides, but insect resistance could limit the success of this technology. The first generation of transgenic cotton with B. thuringiensis produces a single toxin, Cry1Ac, that is highly effective against susceptible larvae of pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), a major cotton pest. To counter potential problems with resistance, second-generation transgenic cotton that produces B. thuringiensis toxin Cry2Ab alone or in combination with Cry1Ac has been developed. In greenhouse bioassays, a pink bollworm strain selected in the laboratory for resistance to Cry1Ac survived equally well on transgenic cotton with Cry1Ac and on cotton without Cry1Ac. In contrast, Cry1Ac-resistant pink bollworm had little or no survival on second-generation transgenic cotton with Cry2Ab alone or with Cry1Ac plus Cry2Ab. Artificial diet bioassays showed that resistance to Cry1Ac did not confer strong cross-resistance to Cry2Aa. Strains with >90% larval survival on diet with 10 μg of Cry1Ac per ml showed 0% survival on diet with 3.2 or 10 μg of Cry2Aa per ml. However, the average survival of larvae fed a diet with 1 μg of Cry2Aa per ml was higher for Cry1Ac-resistant strains (2 to 10%) than for susceptible strains (0%). If plants with Cry1Ac plus Cry2Ab are deployed while genes that confer resistance to each of these toxins are rare, and if the inheritance of resistance to both toxins is recessive, the efficacy of transgenic cotton might be greatly extended.


2014 ◽  
Vol 81 (5) ◽  
pp. 1884-1890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Kain ◽  
Xiaozhao Song ◽  
Alida F. Janmaat ◽  
Jian-Zhou Zhao ◽  
Judith Myers ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTTwo populations ofTrichoplusia nithat had developed resistance toBacillus thuringiensissprays (Bt sprays) in commercial greenhouse vegetable production were tested for resistance to Bt cotton (BollGard II) plants expressing pyramided Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab. TheT. nicolonies resistant toBacillus thuringiensisserovar kurstaki formulations were not only resistant to the Bt toxin Cry1Ac, as previously reported, but also had a high frequency of Cry2Ab-resistant alleles, exhibiting ca. 20% survival on BollGard II foliage. BollGard II-resistantT. nistrains were established by selection with BollGard II foliage to further remove Cry2Ab-sensitive alleles in theT. nipopulations. The BollGard II-resistant strains showed incomplete resistance to BollGard II, with adjusted survival values of 0.50 to 0.78 after 7 days. The resistance to the dual-toxin cotton plants was conferred by two genetically independent resistance mechanisms: one to Cry1Ac and one to Cry2Ab. The 50% lethal concentration of Cry2Ab for the resistant strain was at least 1,467-fold that for the susceptibleT. nistrain. The resistance to Cry2Ab in resistantT. niwas an autosomally inherited, incompletely recessive monogenic trait. Results from this study indicate that insect populations under selection by Bt sprays in agriculture can be resistant to multiple Bt toxins and may potentially confer resistance to multitoxin Bt crops.


Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Wang ◽  
Yuemin Ma ◽  
Xueqin Guo ◽  
Peng Wan ◽  
Kaiyu Liu ◽  
...  

Insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are widely used to control insect pests, but their efficacy is reduced when pests evolve resistance. We report on a novel allele (r16) of the cadherin gene (PgCad1) in pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) associated with resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac, which is produced by transgenic cotton. The r16 allele isolated from a field population in China has 1545 base pairs of a degenerate transposon inserted in exon 20 of PgCad1, which generates a mis-spliced transcript containing a premature stop codon. A strain homozygous for r16 had 300-fold resistance to Cry1Ac, 2.6-fold cross-resistance to Cry2Ab, and completed its life cycle on transgenic Bt cotton producing Cry1Ac. Inheritance of Cry1Ac resistance was recessive and tightly linked with r16. Compared with transfected insect cells expressing wild-type PgCad1, cells expressing r16 were less susceptible to Cry1Ac. Recombinant cadherin protein was transported to the cell membrane in cells transfected with the wild-type PgCad1 allele, but not in cells transfected with r16. Cadherin occurred on brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) in the midgut of susceptible larvae, but not resistant larvae. These results imply that the r16 allele mediates Cry1Ac resistance in pink bollworm by interfering with the localization of cadherin.


2022 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-19
Author(s):  
G.M.V. Prasada Rao ◽  

The pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella, has become a significant production constraint on Bt cotton in India. This problem is unique to India because the pest has developed multi-fold resistance to Cry toxins in many Indian populations but not in other countries. Most Indian populations have developed multifold resistance to Cry 1 Ac and Cry 1Ac + Cry 2 Ab toxins. Year-round cultivation of long-duration Bt cotton hybrids on a large scale has a pronounced impact on the incidence. Also discussed other factors responsible for the occurrence of pink bollworm on Bt cotton in India. Insecticide Resistance Management (IRM) strategies implemented by different cotton-growing countries globally; the USA, India, and China had a significant impact on the interaction of pink bollworm on Bt cotton. Huge selection pressure resulted in resistance to Cry toxins. Time-tested IPM, if implemented on a community basis focusing on pheromones technology and closed season, will help sustain the cotton cultivation in India in the future. Thus, this review aims to congregate exhaustive information on the history, biology, resistance to Bt cotton, and Integrated Management (IPM) options for the Indian scenario, which would help researchers in their future endeavors.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenhui Wang ◽  
Feng Xu ◽  
Yunxin Huang ◽  
Hongqiang Feng ◽  
Peng Wan

Abstract Background Transgenic maize expressing toxins derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) may be commercially planted in northern China where Bt cotton has been planted for more than two decades. While Bt maize brings additional benefits for insect control, it complicates the resistance management of cotton bollworm (CBW), Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), a common target of Bt cotton and Bt maize. Results We used a two-locus population genetic model to assess the risk of resistance in CBW when Bt cotton and Bt maize are planted concurrently. Results of model simulations showed that planting Bt maize together with Bt cotton significantly increases the risk of resistance if Bt cotton and Bt maize share a similar Bt toxin. The risk of resistance is higher in the case of one-toxin Bt maize than in the case of two-toxin Bt maize. Parameters associated with the preexisting resistance in CBW all could impact on the risk of resistance but with different extents. Among them, the most notable ones are the dominance of resistance and fitness cost, which can dramatically affect the risk of resistance, especially when the proportion of natural refuges is reduced. Conclusions We concluded that the preexisting resistance in CBW to Bt cotton can significantly increase the risk of resistance when Bt maize and Bt cotton are planted concurrently and that using two-toxin Bt cotton and maize instead of one-toxin ones are needed in order to reduce the risk of resistance.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document