EVALUATION OF BT COTTONS RESISTANT TO INJURY FROM BOLLWORM (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE) - IMPLICATIONS FOR PEST-MANAGEMENT IN THE TEXAS SOUTHERN HIGH-PLAINS
Dr. Rummel et al., EVALUATION OF BT COTTONS RESISTANT TO INJURY FROM BOLLWORM (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE) - IMPLICATIONS FOR PEST-MANAGEMENT IN THE TEXAS SOUTHERN HIGH-PLAINS, The Southwestern entomologist, 19(3), 1994, pp. 199-207
Transgenic cotton plants, carrying a gene construction that codes for
the HD-1 delta-endotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner var. kur
stakii, were evaluated for resistance to injury from the bollworm, Hel
icoverpa zea (Boddie). Transgenic cotton lines containing the Bt gene
suffered significantly less bollworm injury to squares and green bolls
than the commercial cultivars Coker 312 and Paymaster HS26. Paymaster
HS26, a cultivar well adapted to Texas High Plains growing conditions
, suffered an average loss of 150 kg of lint per ha when not treated w
ith insecticide to control bollworms. None of the transgenic cotton li
nes required insecticide treatment to preserve yield. The present stud
y indicated that well-adapted cotton varieties containing the Bt gene
could play an important role in future cotton pest management in the T
exas High Plains.