Adult Emergence and Egg Distribution of the Heliothine Complex and their Impact on Bt Resistance Management in Agricultural Landscapes

Author

Taylor Davis Dill

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Catchot Jr., Angus L.

Committee Member

Gore, Jeffrey

Committee Member

Cook, Donald R.

Committee Member

Musser, Fred R.

Committee Member

Caprio, Michael A.

Date of Degree

5-9-2015

Original embargo terms

MSU Only Indefinitely

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Campus Access Only

Major

Agriculture Life Sciences

Degree Name

Master of Science

College

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Department

Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology

Abstract

Recently, cotton production throughout the southern U.S. have declined substantially. Additionally, the pest status of bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), has increased in soybean. As a result, there is growing interest to have commercial access to transgenic soybean varieties that express the Bt toxins to help manage against lepidopteran pests. However, soybeans are assumed to be a key host in the natural refuge concept used for Bt cotton. Research was conducted to determine if the introduction of Bt soybeans into the U.S. would present an unacceptable risk to the sustainability of other crops. This project examines the contribution of soybean to the susceptible heliothine populations in the natural refuge system, the potential of delayed in-season emergence of H. zea from field corn, effects of soil moisture on emergence and pupal duration, fitness of adult H. zea from Bt and non-Bt corn, and provide more accurate parameters for future resistance development models.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/17996

Recommended Citation

Dill, Taylor Davis, "Adult Emergence and Egg Distribution of the Heliothine Complex and their Impact on Bt Resistance Management in Agricultural Landscapes" (2015). Theses and Dissertations. 399.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/399