Laboratory evaluation of transgenic Bt rice resistance against rice leaf roller, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis

Abstract

Pest resistance of 8 transgenic Bt rice events with a synthetic cry1Ac gene linked to rice rbcS-tp sequence were assessed under laboratory conditions. Bioassays were conducted with neonates and third instar larvae of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, which is a significant pest of rice in Asia. C. medinalis larvae were shown to be susceptible to all eight events, even though there were differences between the causes of death. The results differed between developmental stages of the larvae, despite the fact that all 8 events led to high mortalities. Neonates displayed feeding avoidance and death by starvation on six Bt rice events. In the case of third instar larvae however, only two events resulted in feeding avoidance. Nevertheless, all Bt rice events were shown to be highly effective against C. medinalis larvae in laboratory conditions. These results may be a significant foundation for the evaluation of improved transgenic Bt rice.