Frequency of Bt resistance alleles in Helicoverpa armigera in 2007–2009 in the Henan cotton growing region of China

Abstract

Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a key insect pest of cotton in the Henan cotton growing region of China. In this region, cotton is grown on small acreages in rich agricultural landscapes, contrary to cropping systems in the United States or Australia. Under such cropping regimes, naturally occurring refuges (with non-Bt plants) may be sufficient to prevent H. armigera resistance development to Bt toxins. In order to gain a timely understanding of the evolution of resistance of H. armigera to Bt toxin after continuous cultivation of Bt cotton for c. 10 years, we assessed the frequency of alleles conferring resistance to Cry1Ac toxin in field populations of H. armigera sampled from Xinxiang County in Henan province during 2007–2009. Screening F 1 and F 2 generations from isofemale lines, derived from female moths trapped in the field, were used with a discriminating dose of Cry1Ac diet to estimate the frequency of resistance alleles. Totals of 625, 516 and 488 isofemale lines were screened for the F 1 generation in 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively. Resistance gene frequency in Xinxiang fluctuated between 0.0000 and 0.0005, and it did not increase significantly from 2007 to 2009. Based on the relative average development rates (RADR) of H. armigera larvae in F 1 tests, no substantial increase in Cry1Ac tolerance was found in the Xinxiang region over the 3-yr period.