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An experimental approach to simulate transgene pyramiding for the deployment of cry genes to control potato tuber moth ( Phthorimaea operculella )
Author(s) -
Meiyalaghan S.,
Butler R.C.,
Wratten S.D.,
Conner A.J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.2006.00060.x
Subject(s) - phthorimaea operculella , biology , transgene , gene , gelechiidae , genetics , bacillus thuringiensis , genetically modified crops , microbiology and biotechnology , larva , botany , bacteria
Alternating the daily feeding of potato tuber moth ( Phthorimaea operculella ) larvae (PTM) between isogenic pairs of potato plants provides an effective experimental approach to simulate transgene pyramiding in a clonal crop. This involves an experimental design with all six possible pairwise combinations of two transgenic lines expressing different cry genes and the non‐transgenic control. In this manner, we have simulated the pyramiding of pairwise combinations of cry 1Ac9, cry 9Aa2 and cry 1Ba1 genes in potato and evaluated how pairs of these three cry genes interact to influence the growth rate of PTM larvae. The results show that all combinations of the three cry genes were largely consistent with additive impacts on PTM larval growth, although results from the combination of the cry 1Ac9 and cry 9Aa2 genes were suggestive of slight synergistic effects. Pyramiding the cry 1Ac9, cry 9Aa2 and cry 1Ba1 genes in potato could therefore provide a more effective strategy to control PTM compared to single cry gene transgenic plants.