MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS OF 3 DIABROTICA (COLEOPTERA, CHRYSOMELIDAE) PEST SPECIES

A 257 bp region of mitochondrial ND4 gene was analyzed for genetic var iation in three species of corn rootworm, southern corn rootworm (Diab rotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber, SCR), northern corn rootworm (D . barberi Smith and Lawrence, NCR), and western corn rootworm (D. virg ifera virgifera LeConte, WCR). Nucleotide sequencing revealed 26 polym orphic sites. Genetic distances averaged 8% for all pair-wise comparis ons among the three species. Restriction maps were constructed from se quence data and compared to potential species specific restriction sit es. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) revealed three restriction enzymes (Alu I, Apo I and Sau 3 A) which produced diagnostic pattens for both adults and larvae. Only NCR showed intraspecific polymorphism.