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1 April 2001 Life History Attributes of Indian Meal Moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Angoumois Grain Moth (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) Reared on Transgenic Corn Kernels
JOHN D. SEDLACEK, Sunila R. Komaravalli, Anthony M. Hanley, Bryan D. Price, Paula M. Davis
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Abstract

The Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), and Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier), are two globally distributed stored-grain pests. Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the impact that corn (Zea mays L.) kernels (i.e., grain) of some Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) corn hybrids containing Cry1Ab Bt δ-endotoxin have on life history attributes of Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth. Stored grain is at risk to damage from Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth; therefore, Bt corn may provide a means of protecting this commodity from damage. Thus, the objective of this research was to quantify the effects of transgenic corn seed containing Cry1Ab δ-endotoxin on Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth survival, fecundity, and duration of development. Experiments with Bt grain, non-Bt isolines, and non-Bt grain were conducted in environmental chambers at 27 ± 1°C and ≥60% RH in continuous dark. Fifty eggs were placed in ventilated pint jars containing 170 g of cracked or whole corn for the Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth, respectively. Emergence and fecundity were observed for 5 wk. Emergence and fecundity of Indian meal moth and emergence of Angoumois grain moth were significantly lower for individuals reared on P33V08 and N6800Bt, MON 810 and Bt-11 transformed hybrids, respectively, than on their non-Bt transformed isolines. Longer developmental times were observed for Indian meal moth reared on P33V08 and N6800Bt than their non-Bt-transformed isolines. These results indicate that MON 810 and Bt-11 Cry1Ab δ-endotoxin-containing kernels reduce laboratory populations of Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth. Thus, storing Bt-transformed grain is a management tactic that warrants bin scale testing and may effectively reduce Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth populations in grain without application of synthetic chemicals or pesticides.

JOHN D. SEDLACEK, Sunila R. Komaravalli, Anthony M. Hanley, Bryan D. Price, and Paula M. Davis "Life History Attributes of Indian Meal Moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Angoumois Grain Moth (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) Reared on Transgenic Corn Kernels," Journal of Economic Entomology 94(2), 586-592, (1 April 2001). https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-94.2.586
Received: 14 June 2000; Accepted: 1 November 2000; Published: 1 April 2001
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KEYWORDS
Angoumois grain moth
Indian meal moth
stored grain
transgenic grain
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