Issue Date
4-2017
Abstract
Pest-resistant crops are identified using bioefficacy studies, that entail the infestation of test insects onto candidate plants to screen for the desired resistance trait. A technique using cornstalks on biodegradable skewers was developed to test the efficacy of Bt transgenic corn against the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Stalks of isoline maize, aged 30-40 days after planting, were sliced to pieces, each about 1 cm thick, and skewered into pre-thinned barbecue sticks. The skewered corn stalks were placed into the infestation cup, and the newly-hatched larvae were transferred using camel-hair brush. The cups were covered with tissue paper then stored for several days. During infestation, the skewered cornstalks were placed inside the whorl for vegetative stage infestation, or on the leaf sheath just below the flag leaf for reproductive stage infestation. Four field trials were conducted to test the effectiveness and efficiency of this technique. Consistently low variation in the damage ratings were observed from sets of plants under the same treatment. The standard deviations of damage ratings obtained were relatively low regardless of the site of conduct, the trial, the stage of corn, and the day of observation. This infestation technique is a better delivery system that improves handling of test insects and, therefore, allows greater larval survival, and decreases variation in the data collected.
Source or Periodical Title
The Philippine Entomologist
ISSN
0048-3753
Volume
31
Issue
1
Page
47-61
Document Type
Article
Frequency
semi-annually
Physical Description
illustrations ; tables
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Caasi-Lit, Merdelyn T.; Lontoc, Mark Bryan T.; Erigbuagas, Justin Clark S.; de Leus, Elisa G.; and Dacuba, Rachel H., "An improved technique for artificial infestation of test insects in bioefficacy studies of Bt corn against the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenne), in the Philippines" (2017). Journal Article. 4356.
https://www.ukdr.uplb.edu.ph/journal-articles/4356
En – AGROVOC descriptors
OSTRINIA FURNACALIS; INSECTA; PEST; PEST OF PLANTS; PEST RESISTANCE; INFESTATION; PHILIPPINES