Baseline Susceptibility of the Field Populations of Ostrinia furnacalis in Indonesia to the Proteins Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2 of Bacillus thuringiensis.

Genetically modified MON 89034 corn (Zea mays L.) expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticidal proteins, viz. Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2, is a biotechnological option being considered for the management of the major corn pest in Indonesia, the Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)). As a part of a proactive resistance-management program for MON 89034 corn in Indonesia, we assessed the baseline susceptibility of field-collected populations of O. furnacalis to Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2 proteins. Dose-response bioassays using the diet-dipping method indicated that the lethal concentration (LC50) values of Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2 in 24 different field populations of O. furnacalis ranged from 0.006 to 0.401 µg/mL and from 0.044 to 4.490 µg/mL, respectively, while the LC95 values ranged from 0.069 to 15.233 µg/mL for Cry1A.105 and from 3.320 to 277.584 µg/mL for Cry2Ab2. The relative resistance ratios comparing the most tolerant field populations and an unselected laboratory population were 6.0 for Cry1A.105 and 2.0 for Cry2Ab2 based on their LC50 values. Some field populations were more susceptible to both proteins than the unselected laboratory population. The LC99 and its 95% fiducial limits across the field populations were calculated and proposed as candidate diagnostic concentrations. These data provide a basis for resistance monitoring in Bt Corn and further support building resistance-management strategies in Indonesia.

Complex multiple introductions drive fall armyworm invasions into Asia and Australia.

The fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda is thought to have undergone a rapid 'west-to-east' spread since 2016 when it was first identified in western Africa. Between 2018 and 2020, it was recorded from South Asia (SA), Southeast Asia (SEA), East Asia (EA), and Pacific/Australia (PA). Population genomic analyses enabled the understanding of pathways, population sources, and gene flow in this notorious agricultural pest species. Using neutral single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) DNA markers, we detected genome introgression that suggested most populations in this study were overwhelmingly C- and R-strain hybrids (n = 252/262). SNP and mitochondrial DNA markers identified multiple introductions that were most parsimoniously explained by anthropogenic-assisted spread, i.e., associated with international trade of live/fresh plants and plant products, and involved 'bridgehead populations' in countries to enable successful pest establishment in neighbouring countries. Distinct population genomic signatures between Myanmar and China do not support the 'African origin spread' nor the 'Myanmar source population to China' hypotheses. Significant genetic differentiation between populations from different Australian states supported multiple pathways involving distinct SEA populations. Our study identified Asia as a biosecurity hotspot and a FAW genetic melting pot, and demonstrated the use of genome analysis to disentangle preventable human-assisted pest introductions from unpreventable natural pest spread.

Inheritance and Realized Heritability of Resistance to Imidacloprid in the Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), From Indonesia.

The brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål., is a major insect pest causing serious damage to the rice crop in many rice-producing countries. The aim of the study was to determine the inheritance characteristics and realized heritability of resistance to imidacloprid in N. lugens from Banyumas, Central Java Province, Indonesia. The five generations of selection increased the resistance ratio (RR) from 46.20-fold at generation 45 (G45) to 150.39-fold (G49) compared with the laboratory-susceptible population. The LC50 values of imidacloprid for the progeny of reciprocal crosses, F1 and F1', showed no significant differences, indicating that imidacloprid resistance was inherited autosomally in N. lugens. The degree of dominance (D) values for F1 and F1' were 0.65 and 0.64, respectively, suggesting that imidacloprid resistance in N. lugens was expressed as an incompletely dominant trait. Chi-square analysis based on the monogenic hypothesis indicated that imidacloprid resistance in N. lugens was polygenic. Furthermore, the estimation realized heritability value (h2) was 0.0893. These results would be useful to determine an effective resistance management strategies in N. lugens.

Susceptibility of field-collected populations of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella, to Bacillus thuringiensis.

The susceptibilitity of newly hatched larvae of laboratory-adapted and field-collected populations of the Southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella (Dyar) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), to a Bacillus thuringiensis protein (Cry1Ab) was examined using a larval feeding bioassay. D grandiosella populations were collected from five states: Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Tennessee and Kentucky. Using larval mortality as the end-point of the bioassay, the magnitude of differences in the susceptibility of the laboratory-adapted and the field-collected populations to Cry1Ab protein varied from one to 46 times depending on the time of observation and the standard of comparison (LC50 or LC95). However, significant differences in susceptibility to Cry1Ab protein among these populations were not detected when the comparisons were based on growth inhibition (EC50 or EC95); the magnitude of differences was less than fourfold. Either using larval mortality or larval growth inhibition, the results indicated that the field-collected populations of D grandiosella were susceptible to Cry1Ac, and differences in susceptibility may reflect natural variation among populations. The bioassay using larval growth inhibition offers advantages over that using larval mortality, including giving more accurate representation of the toxicological effects of the toxin.