Information on dispersal of European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis, is needed to develop effective Insect Resistance Management (IRM) plans for Bt-corn. Adult ECB marked with Sudan Red 7B or Solvent Blue 35 were released and recaptured in large irrigated Bt-corn fields (ca. 50 ha) in southwest Kansas. Capture of feral ECB adults in study fields also yielded useful dispersal information.
A total of 15,094 males and 7,993 females dispersed during 1999, and 13,942 males and 9,977 females dispersed during 2001 from a release point in the center of the study fields. In 1999, the recapture rate beyond the release point increased from 0.21% or 1.10% in June to 1.05% or 1.97% in July for males and from 0.08% or 0.13% in June to 0.16% or 1.67% in July for females. In 2001, the recapture rate beyond the release point increased from 2.67% to 9.94% for males and 0.33% to 4.37% for females from June to August. An exponential decay function explained recapture across the dispersal distance. A small number of males (3.8%) and females (2.07%) were recaptured in neighboring corn fields 276 to 884 m and 427 to 488 m respectively from the release point. Large numbers of feral males and females captured at all distances into study fields indicated extensive dispersal into the field. A linear model explained capture of feral insects across the dispersal distance. Eighteen percent of the marked and seven percent of the feral females were virgin, and this percentage was constant across dispersal distance.
Species 1: Lepidoptera Crambidae Ostrinia nubilalis (European corn borer)
Keywords: resistance management, Bt corn
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