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Cholesterol oxidase: an oöstatic and larvicidal agent active against the cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis
Author(s) -
Greenplate J. T.,
Duck N. B.,
Pershing J. C.,
Purcell J. P.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/j.1570-7458.1995.tb01898.x
Subject(s) - anthonomus , biology , boll weevil , larva , population , weevil , cholesterol oxidase , instar , botany , malvaceae , gossypium , pest analysis , cholesterol , zoology , biochemistry , demography , sociology
The enzyme cholesterol oxidase (E.C. 1.1.3.6), purified from Streptomyces culture filtrate was previously found to have oral insecticidal activity on neonate larvae of the boll weevil ( Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman) from a laboratory population. In the present study, second instar larvae were also controlled by the enzyme at diet concentrations similar to those which control neonates (12 day LC 50 = 2.4 μg.ml −1 in diet). Larvae from field‐collected adults were similarly susceptible to cholesterol oxidase in the diet. When ingested by adult females during the mating/pre‐oviposition period, cholesterol oxidase greatly reduced subsequent oviposition (83% reduction in eggs laid as compared to controls) and larval survival (97% reduction from controls). Dissection of treated adult females revealed poorly developed ovaries and few developing oöcytes. These studies were conducted to further evaluate the utility of cholesterol oxidase in a program to establish boll weevil‐resistant transgenic cotton.