Cry 1Ab and Cry 9C Transgenic Corn Hybrid Effects on Laboratory Populations of Indianmeal Moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Angoumois Grain Moth (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

Abstract

Several Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) Cry proteins including Cry 1Ab, Cry 1Ac, and Cry 9C, have been observed at relatively high levels in Bt corn grain using the CaMV 35S promoter. Thus, a laboratory experiment was conducted to quantify the impact of DeKalb 679 BTY Cry 1 Ab (MON 810) and Garst 8600 BLT Cry 9C (CBH 351) transgenic grain on Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), and Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier), survival, development and fecundity. Eggs of Indianmeal moth or Angoumois grain moth were added to cracked or whole kernel corn. Emergence and fecundity were recorded for 5 wks. Emergence and fecundity of both moth species was reduced on both Cry 1Ab and Cry 9C-transformed corn, but only Cry 1 Ab-transformed corn delayed development of Indianmeal moth. Results indicate that populations of these moths may be negatively impacted in grain bins by Bt corn hybrids and that lepidopteran populations should be monitored in field-scale assays to examine the effects of the presence of Bt corn hybrids on insects in storage environments.