Effects of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis maize grain on B. thuringiensis-susceptible Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Abstract

Percentage survivorship, developmental time, adult body length, and sex ratio of Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) reared on field-produced grain from sixteen cultivars of maize, Zea mays L., including several transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Berliner hybrids and selected non-Bt isolines, were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Compared with isolines, development was delayed and survivorship reduced for P. interpunctella reared on grain from transgenic hybrids with the CaMV/35s promoter that express Cry1Ab protein. Similarly, compared with non-Bt hybrids, a transgenic hybrid with the CaMV/35s promoter that expresses Cry9C protein delayed development, decreased survivorship, and caused reductions in adult body length of P. interpunctella. In contrast, no significant differences in P. interpunctella developmental times or survivorship were observed between transgenic hybrids with the PEPC promoter expressing Cry1Ab and their isolines. Additionally, developmental time, survivorship, and adult body length were similar between P. interpunctella reared on a transgenic hybrid with the CaMV/35s promoter expressing Cry1Ac and non-Bt hybrids. Our data demonstrate that transgenic Bt maize grain, especially grain from hybrids with the CaMV/35s promoter expressing Cry1Ab or Cry9C, can significantly affect B. thuringiensis-susceptible P. interpunctella populations up to 4 or 5 mo after harvest.