Life history attributes of Indian meal moth (Lepidoptera : Pyralidae) and Angoumois grain moth (Lepidoptera : Gelechiidae) reared on transgenic corn kernels

The Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner), and Angoumois grain m oth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier),are two globally distributed stored-gra in pests. Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the impact that corn (Zea mays L.) kernels (i.e., grain) of some Bacillus thuringiensis Ber liner (Bt) corn hybrids containing CrylAb Bt delta -endotoxin have oil life history) attributes of Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth. Stored g rain is at risk to damage from Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth; t herefore, Bt corn may provide a means of protecting this commodity from dam age. Thus, the objective of this research was to quantify the effects of tr ansgenic corn seed containing CrylAb delta -endotoxin on Indian meal moth a nd Angoumois grain moth survival, fecundity, and duration of development. E xperiments with Bt grain, non-Bt isolines, and non-Bt grain were conducted in environmental chambers at 27 +/- 1 degreesC and greater than or equal to 60% RH in continuous dark. Fifty eggs were placed in ventilated pint jars containing 170 g of cracked or whole corn for the Indian meal moth and Ango umois grain moth, respectively. Emergence and fecundity were observed for 5 wk. Emergence and fecundity of Indian meal moth and emergence of Angoumois grain moth were significantly lower for individuals reared on P33V08 anti N6800Bt, MON 810 and Bt-11 transformed hybrids, respectively, than on their non-Bt transformed isolines. Longer developmental times were observed for Indian meal moth reared on P33V08 and N600Bt than their non-Bt-transformed isolines. These results indicate that MON 810 and Bt-11 CrylAb delta -endot oxin-containing kernels reduce laboratory populations of Indian meal moth a nd Angoumois grain moth. Thus, storing Bt-transformed grain is a management tactic that warrants bill scale testing and may effectively reduce Indian meal moth and Angoumois grain moth populations in grain without application of synthetic chemicals or pesticides.