Oviposition of potato tuber moth,Phthorimaea operculellaZell. (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae); identification of host-plant factors influencing oviposition response

This study evaluated the potential distribution of the potato tuber moth. This species severely impacts global potato production, especially in China and India, which have the world’s largest potato production. We developed two indices considering host plant availability and production in addition to climatic suitability, which was simulated using the CLIMEX model. Thus, three different indices were used to project potential distribution of the potato tuber moth under a climate change scenario: (1) climatic suitability (ecoclimatic index (EI)) (EIM), (2) climatic suitability combined with host plant availability (EIN1), and (3) climatic suitability combined with host plant production (EIN2). Under the current climate, EIM was high in southern India and central to southern China, while EIN1 and EIN2 were approximately 38% and 20% lower than EIM, respectively. Under the Special Report on Emissions Scenario A1B, the potato tuber moth would probably not occur in India, but its distribution could be extended to the north, reaching N47°. The areas with the highest climatic suitability by potato tuber moth based on three indices were Sichuan and Karnataka in response to climate change. These areas require adequate pest control, such as prevention of spread through transport of potato seed or by using cold storage facilities.

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Potato Transformation to Combine Natural and Engineered Resistance for Controlling Tuber Moth

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.33.6.1053 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 33 (6) ◽

pp. 1053-1056 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

D.S. Douches ◽

A.L. Westedt ◽

K. Zarka ◽

B. Schroeter ◽

E.J. Grafius

Keyword(s):

Potato Tuber ◽

Host Plant ◽

Plant Resistance ◽

Host Plant Resistance ◽

Glandular Trichomes ◽

Natural Resistance ◽

Central Component ◽

Potato Tuber Moth ◽

Transgenic Lines ◽

Bt Gene

Potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella Zeller) is a highly destructive pest of the cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in the tropics and subtropics and causes significant damage to both leaves and tubers. Development of host plant resistance is a central component of an integrated pest management (IPM) program for potato tuber moth. The purpose of this research was to augment natural resistance by transforming potato with a codon-modified CryV-Bt gene using Agrobacterium-mediated techniques. `Lemhi Russet' potato and two clones with different host plant resistance mechanisms, USDA8380-1 (leaf leptines) and L235-4 (glandular trichomes), were transformed with the CryV-Bt gene. Gene integration of regenerated plants was confirmed by polymerase chain reactions and Southern analyses; gene transcription was evaluated by northern analyses. Detached leaf bioassays showed that high levels of Bt expression occurred in the CryV-Bt transgenic lines (`Lemhi Russet' and L235-4), providing up to 96% control of potato tuber moth larvae, compared with 3% and 54% control in L235-4 and USDA8380-1, respectively. These transgenic lines can be used for breeding purposes to develop cultivars for (and eventual introduction into) IPM systems.

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