Transgenic rice plants expressing a trypsin inhibitor are resistant against rice stem borers, Chilo suppressalis

A synthetic gene, mwti1b, coding for a winged bean trypsin inhibitor WTI-1B , has been introduced and expressed in rice plants, Oryza sativa. Protein e xtracts from transgenic rice plants expressing the trypsin inhibitor inhibi ted the gut proteases of larvae of the serious insect pest, the rice stem b orer, Chilo suppressalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in vitro. The growth of l arvae reared on transgenic rice plants expressing WTI-1B at more than 1 ng/ 10 mu g total protein was significantly retarded compared to that on non-tr ansgenic control plants.