Effects of rice cystatin I expression in transgenic potato on Colorado potato beetle larvae

The impact of OCI (Oryzacystatin I) expressing transgenic potato on Colorad o potato beetle (CPB) larvae development was investigated. Transgenic potat oes, resistant to kanamycin and expressing the OCI cysteine protease inhibi tor (PI), were obtained via Agrobacterium tumefaciens genetic transformatio n. Four independent transgenic lines were shown by molecular analysis to ex hibit a high level of OCI expression. Larvae of CPB were independently rear ed on either transgenic or control potato leaves until the end of larval de velopment. A significant impact of OCI transgenic potato on larval mortalit y was obtained, with up to 53% mortality recorded in larvae reared on trans genic leaves. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.