title: Bean alpha-amylase inhibitors in transgenic peas inhibit development of pea weevil larvae.
abstract: This glasshouse study used an improved larval measurement procedure to evaluate the impact of transgenic pea, Pisum sativum L., seeds expressing a-amylase inhibitor (AI)-1 or -2 proteins on pea weevil, Bruchus pisorum L. Seeds of transgenic 'Laura' and 'Greenfeast' peas expressing alpha-(AI)-1 reduced pea weevil survival by 93-98%. Larval mortality occurred at an early instar. Conversely, in nontransgenic cultivars, approximately 98-99% of the pea weevils emerged as adults. By measuring the head capsule size, we determined that larvae died at the first to early third instar in alpha-(AI)-1 transgenic peas, indicating that this inhibitor is highly effective in controlling this insect. By contrast, transgenic Laura and 'Dundale' expressing alpha-(AI)-2 did not affect pea weevil survival, but they did delay larval development. After 77 d of development, the head capsule size indicated that the larvae were still at the third instar stage in transgenic alpha-(AI)-2 peas, whereas adult bruchids had developed in the nontransgenic peas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Biology, Curtin University of Technology, P.O. Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia. jmajer@bigpond.net.au
authors.forename: Maria José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: de Sousa-Majer
authors.forename: Darryl C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Hardie
authors.forename: Neil C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Thomas J V
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Higgins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development; D018532:Pisum sativum / Q000235:genetics*; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D027805:Phaseolus / Q000235:genetics*; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000201:enzymology*; D048889:Weevils / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D037121:Plant Lectins; C061510:alpha-amylase inhibitor, Phaseolus vulgaris