Resistance to Tecia solanivora (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in three transgenic Andean varieties of potato expressing Bacillus thuringiensis CrylAc protein.
Transgenic potato, Solanum tuberosum L., plants containing a synthetic cry1Ac gene coding for the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crystalline insecticidal protein were produced and evaluated for resistance to Tecia solanivora Povolny (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), the larvae of which attack potato tubers. In total, 43 transgenic lines of commercial Andean potato varieties Diacol Capiro, Pardo Pastusa, and Pandeazúcar were obtained. These transgenic lines were found to have one to four copies of cry1Ac per genome and expression levels of Cry1Ac protein varying from 0.02 to 17 microg/g fresh tuber tissue. Bioassays of T. solanivora larvae on these transgenic potato tubers showed 83.7-100% mortality, whereas the mortality levels on nontransgenic lines were 0-2.67%. Our data indicate the capability of Bt transgenic technology to control the T. solanivora while reducing the use of chemical insecticides. Further studies under controlled field conditions will be helpful in exploring the potential of CrylAc potatoes in the insect pest management strategies.
Valderrama
Ana Milena
AM
Unidad de Biotecnología Vegetal UNALMED-CIB, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, (CIB), Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia.
Veásquez
Nubia
N
Rodríguez
Esperanza
E
Zapata
Andrea
A
Zaidi
Mohsin Abbas
MA
Altosaar
Illimar
I
Arango
Rafael
R
D000818:Animals; D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D009036:Moths / Q000187:drug effects*; D035281:Plant Tubers / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004731:Endotoxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D007306:Insecticides; C030956:insecticidal crystal protein, Bacillus Thuringiensis