Early detection of field-evolved resistance to Bt cotton in China: cotton bollworm and pink bollworm

Transgenic crops producing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins kill some major insect pests, but pests can evolve resistance and thereby reduce the effectiveness of such Bt crops. The main approach for slowing pest adaptation to Bt crops uses non-Bt host plants as "refuges" to increase survival of susceptible pests. To delay evolution of pest resistance to cotton producing Bt toxin Cry1Ac, several countries have required refuges of non-Bt cotton, while farmers in China have relied on "natural" refuges of non-Bt host plants other than cotton. This strategy is designed for cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera), which attacks many crops and is the primary target of Bt cotton in China, but it does not apply to pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), which feeds almost entirely on cotton in China. Here we review evidence of field-evolved resistance to Cry1Ac by cotton bollworm in northern China and by pink bollworm in the Yangtze River Valley of China. For both pests, results of laboratory diet bioassays reveal significantly decreased susceptibility of field populations to Cry1Ac, yet field control failures of Bt cotton have not been reported. The early detection of resistance summarized here may spur countermeasures such as planting Bt cotton that produces two or more distinct toxins, increased planting of non-Bt cotton, and integration of other management tactics together with Bt cotton.     

Association between resistance to Bt cotton and cadherin genotype in pink bollworm

Two strains of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), each derived in 1997 from a different field population, were selected for resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin Cry1Ac in the laboratory. One strain (MOV97-R) originated from Mohave Valley in western Arizona; the other strain (SAF97-R) was from Safford in eastern Arizona. Relative to a susceptible laboratory strain, Cry1Ac resistance ratios were 1700 for MOV97-R and 520 for SAF97-R. For the two resistant strains, larval survival did not differ between non-Bt cotton and transgenic cotton producing CrylAc. In contrast, larval survival on Bt cotton was 0% for the two unselected parent strains from which the resistant strains were derived. Previously identified resistance (r) alleles of a cadherin gene (BtR) occurred in both resistant strains: r1 and r3 in MOV97-R, and r1 and r2 in SAF97-R. The frequency of individuals carrying two r alleles (rr) was 1.0 in the two resistant strains and 0.02 in each of the two unselected parent strains. Furthermore, in two hybrid strains with a mixture of susceptible (s) and r alleles at the BtR locus, all survivors on Bt cotton had two r alleles. The results show that resistance to Cry1Ac-producing Bt cotton is associated with recessive r alleles at the BtR locus in the strains of pink bollworm tested here. In conjunction with previous results from two other Bt-resistant strains of pink bollworm (APHIS-98R and AZP-R), results reported here identify the cadherin locus as the leading candidate for molecular monitoring of pink bollworm resistance to Bt cotton.     

Effects of gossypol on fitness costs associated with resistance to Bt cotton in pink bollworm

Fitness costs associated with insect resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crops may help to delay or prevent the spread of resistance alleles, especially when refuges of non-Bt host plants are present. The potential for such delays increases as the magnitude and dominance of fitness costs increase. Here, we examined the idea that plant secondary chemicals affect expression of fitness costs associated with resistance to Bt cotton in Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders). Specifically, we tested the hypotheses that gossypol affects the magnitude or dominance of fitness costs, by measuring performance of three independent sets of pink bollworm populations fed artificial diet with and without gossypol. Each set had an unselected susceptible population, a resistant population derived by selection from the susceptible population, and the F1 progeny of the susceptible and resistant populations. No individuals completed development on diets with gossypol in one set, suggesting that these individuals partially lost the ability to detoxify this chemical. In the other two sets, costs affecting survival did not support the hypotheses, but costs affecting pupal weight did. Adding gossypol to diet increased the magnitude and dominance of costs affecting pupal weight. In one of the two sets with survivors on diet with gossypol, costs affecting development time were less recessive when gossypol was present in diet. These results indicate that gossypol increased the magnitude and dominance of some fitness costs. Better understanding of the effects of natural plant defenses on fitness costs could improve our ability to design refuges for managing insect resistance to Bt crops.     

棉花无蜜腺性状抗棉铃虫及红铃虫效果研究

棉花无蜜腺性状抗棉铃虫及红铃虫效果研究郑冬官,方其英（安徽农业大学合肥２３００３３６）郑厚今（安徽省农业厅,合肥２３０００１）Ｒｅｓｉｓｔａｎｃｅｏｆｃｏｔｔｏｎｎｅｃｔａｒｉｌｅｓｓｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｔｏｂｏｌｌｗｏｒｍａｎｄｐｉｎｋｂｏｌｌｗｏｒ...     

Fitness cost of resistance to Bt cotton linked with increased gossypol content in pink bollworm larvae

Fitness costs of resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crops occur in the absence of Bt toxins, when individuals with resistance alleles are less fit than individuals without resistance alleles. As costs of Bt resistance are common, refuges of non-Bt host plants can delay resistance not only by providing susceptible individuals to mate with resistant individuals, but also by selecting against resistance. Because costs typically vary across host plants, refuges with host plants that magnify costs or make them less recessive could enhance resistance management. Limited understanding of the physiological mechanisms causing fitness costs, however, hampers attempts to increase costs. In several major cotton pests including pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), resistance to Cry1Ac cotton is associated with mutations altering cadherin proteins that bind this toxin in susceptible larvae. Here we report that the concentration of gossypol, a cotton defensive chemical, was higher in pink bollworm larvae with cadherin resistance alleles than in larvae lacking such alleles. Adding gossypol to the larval diet decreased larval weight and survival, and increased the fitness cost affecting larval growth, but not survival. Across cadherin genotypes, the cost affecting larval growth increased as the gossypol concentration of larvae increased. These results suggest that increased accumulation of plant defensive chemicals may contribute to fitness costs associated with resistance to Bt toxins.     

DNA screening reveals pink bollworm resistance to Bt cotton remains rare after a decade of exposure

Transgenic crops producing toxins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) kill insect pests and can reduce reliance on insecticide sprays. Although Bt cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and Bt corn (Zea mays L.) covered 26 million ha worldwide in 2005, their success could be cut short by evolution of pest resistance. Monitoring the early phases of pest resistance to Bt crops is crucial, but it has been extremely difficult because bioassays usually cannot detect heterozygotes harboring one allele for resistance. We report here monitoring of resistance to Bt cotton with DNA-based screening, which detects single resistance alleles in heterozygotes. We used polymerase chain reaction primers that specifically amplify three mutant alleles of a cadherin gene linked with resistance to Bt cotton in pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), a major pest. We screened DNA of 5,571 insects derived from 59 cotton fields in Arizona, California, and Texas during 2001-2005. No resistance alleles were detected despite a decade of exposure to Bt cotton. In conjunction with data from bioassays and field efficacy tests, the results reported here contradict predictions of rapid pest resistance to Bt crops.     

Helicoverpa zea and Bt cotton in the United States

Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), the bollworm or corn earworm, is the most important lepidopteran pest of Bt cotton in the United States. Corn is the preferred host, but the insect feeds on most flowering crops and wild host plants. As a cotton pest, bollworm has been closely linked to the insecticide-resistance prone Heliothis virescens (F.), tobacco budworm. Immature stages of the two species are difficult to separate in field environments. Tobacco budworm is very susceptible to most Bt toxins, and Bt cotton is considered to be "high dose." Bollworm is less susceptible to Bt toxins, and Bt cotton is not "high dose" for this pest. Bt cotton is routinely sprayed with traditional insecticides for bollworm control. Assays of bollworm field populations for susceptibility to Bt toxins expressed in Bt cotton have produced variable results since pre-deployment of Bt cottons in 1988 and 1992. Analyses of assay response trends have been used by others to suggest that field resistance has evolved to Bt toxins in bollworm, but disagreement exists on definitions of field resistance and confidence of variable assay results to project changes in susceptibility of field populations. Given historical variability in bollworm response to Bt toxins, erratic field control requiring supplemental insecticides since early field testing of Bt cottons, and dramatic increases in corn acreage in cotton growing areas of the Southern US, continued vigilance and concern for resistance evolution are warranted.     

DNA-based detection of Bt resistance alleles in pink bollworm

Evolution of resistance by pests is the main threat to long-term insect control by transgenic crops that produce Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins. We previously identified three mutant alleles (r1, r2, r3) of a cadherin gene in pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) linked with recessive resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac and survival on transgenic Bt cotton. Here we describe a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method that detects the mutation in genomic DNA of each of the three resistant alleles. Using primers that distinguish between resistant and susceptible (s) alleles, this method enables identification of 10 genotypes (r1r1, r1r2, r1r3, r2r2, r2r3, r3r3, r1s, r2s, r3s, and ss) at the cadherin locus. For each of the three resistant alleles, the method detected the resistance allele in a single heterozygote (r1s, r2s, or r3s) pooled with DNA from the equivalent of 19 susceptible (ss) individuals. The results suggest that the DNA-based detection method described here could greatly increase the efficiency of monitoring for resistance to Cry1Ac compared to bioassays that detect rare individuals with homozygous resistance.     

湖北棉区转Bt基因棉对棉铃虫的控制作用

2000-2001年通过田间系统调查,表明转Bt基因棉（品种为GK19）在湖北江汉平原棉区对棉铃虫抗性稳定。试验设3个处理：转Bt基因棉化防田（使用化学农药控制害虫）、转Bt基因棉自控田（依靠天敌控制害虫）及常规棉对照田（利用综合防治措施控制害虫）。从棉铃虫的第2代到第5代整个发生期内,即使在不进行化学防治的情况下,棉铃虫在Bt棉田的发生量也保持在极低的水平(最高百株虫量为12头)。室内饲养结果表明,转Bt基因棉对棉铃虫的生长发育（幼虫体重、蛹重）有较为明显的影响,使6龄幼虫体重减少25.6%,蛹重减少18.2%。棉铃虫幼虫取食转Bt基因棉组织后,发育迟缓,相对于常规棉喂养的整个发育历期延长17 d,使棉铃虫在田间的危害减少至少一个世代。另外,接虫试验表明,棉铃虫幼虫在常规棉上的取食时间是转Bt基因棉株上的6.1倍,极大地减轻了棉铃虫的危害程度。     

Effects of cotton cultivar on fitness costs associated with resistance of pink bollworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) to Bt cotton

Fitness costs associated with insect resistance to transgenic crops producing toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) reduce the fitness on non-Bt refuge plants of resistant individuals relative to susceptible individuals. Because costs may vary among host plants, choosing refuge cultivars that increase the dominance or magnitude of costs could help to delay resistance. Specifically, cultivars with high concentrations of toxic phytochemicals could magnify costs. To test this hypothesis, we compared life history traits of three independent sets of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), populations on two cotton cultivars that differed in antibiosis against this cotton pest. Each set had an unselected susceptible population, a resistant population derived by selection from the susceptible population, and the F1 progeny of the susceptible and resistant populations. Confirming previous findings with pink bollworm feeding on cotton, costs primarily affected survival and were recessive on both cultivars. The magnitude of the survival cost did not differ between cultivars. Although the experimental results did not reveal differences between cultivars in the magnitude or dominance of costs, modeling results suggest that differences between cultivars in pink bollworm survival could affect resistance evolution. Thus, knowledge of the interaction between host plants and fitness costs associated with resistance to Bt crops could be helpful in guiding the choice of refuge cultivars.     

Increased frequency of pink bollworm resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac in China

Transgenic crops producing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) kill some key insect pests, but evolution of resistance by pests can reduce their efficacy. The main approach for delaying pest adaptation to Bt crops uses non-Bt host plants as "refuges" to increase survival of susceptible pests. To delay evolution of pest resistance to transgenic cotton producing Bt toxin Cry1Ac, the United States and some other countries have required refuges of non-Bt cotton, while farmers in China have relied on "natural" refuges of non-Bt host plants other than cotton. The "natural" refuge strategy focuses on cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera), the primary target of Bt cotton in China that attacks many crops, but it does not apply to another major pest, pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), which feeds almost entirely on cotton in China. Here we report data showing field-evolved resistance to Cry1Ac by pink bollworm in the Yangtze River Valley of China. Laboratory bioassay data from 51 field-derived strains show that the susceptibility to Cry1Ac was significantly lower during 2008 to 2010 than 2005 to 2007. The percentage of field populations yielding one or more survivors at a diagnostic concentration of Cry1Ac increased from 0% in 2005-2007 to 56% in 2008-2010. However, the median survival at the diagnostic concentration was only 1.6% from 2008 to 2010 and failure of Bt cotton to control pink bollworm has not been reported in China. The early detection of resistance reported here may promote proactive countermeasures, such as a switch to transgenic cotton producing toxins distinct from Cry1A toxins, increased planting of non-Bt cotton, and integration of other management tactics together with Bt cotton.     

转基因棉花对棉铃虫天敌寄生率的影响

采用分期接虫、分期回收法研究常规棉与转基因棉花品种 (系 )上棉铃虫寄生性天敌在不同棉花品种上的寄生作用。结果表明 ,无论是第 2代棉铃虫发生期间还是第 3 ,4代棉铃虫发生期间 ,无论是棉铃虫卵期还是幼虫期 ,转基因棉花品种 (系 )的棉铃虫卵、幼虫寄生率均显著低于常规棉花品种上的寄生率。棉铃虫卵期寄生蜂主要是拟澳洲赤眼蜂 ,幼虫寄生蜂为棉铃虫齿唇姬蜂等。由此看出转基因棉对棉铃虫寄生性天敌存在非亲和性。     

转基因抗虫棉种植面积变化对花生田棉铃虫种群影响

【目的】棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera(Hübner)是花生田主要害虫之一。转基因抗虫棉全面推广后,棉铃虫种群(包括棉田、花生田、玉米田)得到有效控制。近年,随着转基因抗虫棉种植面积逐年下降,花生田棉铃虫种群呈现逐年上升趋势。【方法】本文通过调查山东省花生主产区(非棉区)龙口、招远、莱阳、文登四个县级市花生田棉铃虫成虫、卵量、幼虫量等的发生情况,分析了棉铃虫发生面积及种群数量15年(2000—2014年)的变化规律,并重点分析了主要影响因素。【结果】结果表明:花生棉铃虫发生面积受棉花种植面积影响较大,二者呈显著负相关性;花生田棉铃虫累计诱蛾量总体呈下降趋势,但与棉花种植面积相关性不显著;棉铃虫卵量、虫量与抗虫棉种植面积呈显著负相关性。【结论】所以,转基因抗虫棉种植面积减少是导致花生田棉铃虫种群数量上升的主要因素。另外,近年玉米田棉铃虫发生面积也呈逐年上升趋势,与抗虫棉种植面积呈显著负相关。所以,随转基因抗虫棉种植面积的下降,若不采取有效措施,棉铃虫种群可能会出现大发生趋势。     

华北地区棉铃虫对转Bt基因抗虫棉抗性适应的模拟模型

通过对华北地区耕作制度和生态系统的了解,在充分考虑种群遗传学、生物学和人为操纵因子等三大因素的基础上,建立了一个预测棉铃虫对转Bt基因抗虫棉抗性适应的模拟模型。在华北地区典型的耕作制度下,如果所有棉田均为Bt棉,则Bt棉的预期寿命为7年;如果只有春播棉为Bt棉(约占棉田总面积的70%),则其寿命为10年。模型的灵敏度分析表明, Bt棉的使用寿命随抗性基因的显性度、初始抗性频率、Bt棉所占比例等因素的增长而迅速缩短。当Bt棉表达的杀虫蛋白量恰好全部杀死敏感基因型(G_SG_S)个体时,Bt棉的预期寿命最短。由于国外采用的“高剂量/庇护所”抗性治理策略不适用于棉铃虫及华北棉区的耕作制度,我国需要加强对其它抗性治理措施(如转双基因抗虫棉)的研究与应用。     

棉铃虫对转Bt基因棉的抗性筛选及遗传方式的研究

通过室内筛选获得了棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner)对转Bt基因棉的抗性种群,并在此基础上进行了抗性遗传方式的研究。试验结果表明：经16代筛选,棉铃虫对转Bt基因棉的抗性倍数上升到43.3倍。筛选过程中,棉铃虫7日龄幼虫的体重和成虫羽化率变化明显,被选为确定筛选剂量的标准。敏感与抗性棉铃虫杂交,正交、反交的显性度都小于0、杂交过程中雌雄性比基本接近1∶1、假设抗性基因为单基因时的χ²值较低,因此,初步认为棉铃虫对转Bt基因棉的抗性是常染色体单基因控制的不完全隐性遗传。     

Antennal response of cotton bollworm (Heliocoverpa armigera) to volatiles in transgenic Bt cotton

Abstract:  Volatile compositions in transgenic Bt cotton variety 'GK-97' and its parental variety 'Simian No. 3' were analysed, and antennal response of cotton bollworm ( Heliocoverpa armigera ) to the volatiles were investigated. Volatile components in Bt cotton and regular cotton were almost same, except for absence of a sesquiterpene and a minor unknown compound in regular cotton. The results of gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) experiments showed that cotton bollworm antennae responded to seven compounds and two minor unknown compounds in Bt volatiles, among which concentrations of α -pinene and β -pinene in Bt cotton were relatively higher than those in regular cotton, and one minor unknown compound was absent in regular cotton.     

转Bt基因抗虫棉对棉铃虫拒食作用及其机理研究

转Bt基因抗虫棉对 3 ,4,5龄棉铃虫幼虫的抗性表现形式为拒食作用 ,且随幼虫龄期的增加拒食作用明显降低 ,其中对 5龄幼虫的拒食作用很低。取食Bt棉后 ,3 ,4,5龄棉铃虫幼虫中肠消化酶比活力均较对照有所减退 ,且随幼虫龄期的增加减退率明显降低 ,其中对 5龄幼虫减退率最低。由此 ,解释了Bt棉对 3龄及 3龄以上棉铃虫幼虫抗性表现形式、抗性随不同幼虫龄期的差异性 ,及其抗性差异性的消化机理。     

Effects of Bt cotton and crylac toxin on survival and development of pink bollworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae).

We evaluated the effects of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin CrylAc on survival and development of a susceptible strain and laboratory-selected resistant strains of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders). For susceptible and resistant strains tested on artificial diet, increases in CrylAc concentration reduced developmental rate and pupal weight. In greenhouse tests, survival of resistant larvae on transgenic cotton that produces CrylAc (Bt cotton) was 46% relative to their survival on non-Bt cotton. In contrast, Bt cotton killed all susceptible larvae tested. F1 hybrid progeny of resistant and susceptible adults did not survive on Bt cotton, which indicates recessive inheritance of resistance. Compared with resistant or susceptible larvae reared on non-Bt cotton, resistant larvae reared on Bt cotton had lower survival and slower development, and achieved lower pupal weight and fecundity. Recessive resistance to Bt cotton is consistent with one of the basic assumptions of the refuge strategy for delaying resistance to Bt cotton. Whereas slower development of resistant insects on Bt cotton could increase the probability of mating between resistant adults and accelerate resistance, negative effects of Bt cotton on the survival and development of resistant larvae could delay evolution of resistance.     

Cotton bollworm resistance to Bt transgenic cotton: A case analysis

Cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) is one of the most serious insect pests of cotton. Transgenic cotton expressing Cry toxins derived from a soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), has been produced to target this pest. Bt cotton has been widely planted around the world, and this has resulted in efficient control of bollworm populations with reduced use of synthetic insecticides. However, evolution of resistance by this pest threatens the continued success of Bt cotton. To date, no field populations of bollworm have evolved significant levels of resistance; however, several laboratory-selected Cry-resistant strains of H. armigera have been obtained, which suggests that bollworm has the capacity to evolve resistance to Bt. The development of resistance to Bt is of great concern, and there is a vast body of research in this area aimed at ensuring the continued success of Bt cotton. Here, we review studies on the evolution of Bt resistance in H. armigera, focusing on the biochemical and molecular basis of Bt resistance. We also discuss resistance management strategies, and monitoring programs implemented in China, Australia, and India.