Temporal and habitat influences on population genetics of Helicoverpa zea (bollworm)

Helicoverpa zea (bollworm) is a major pest of agricultural crops, particularly corn and cotton, throughout the United States, Central America and South America. However, little is known regarding the spatial and temporal genetic structure of H. zea. Here we present results from a genome wide study assessing the population genetic structure of H. zea populations across the Mississippi Delta. Using a set of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers we assessed the spatial and temporal population genetic structure of H. zea and related these findings to habitat heterogeneity, based on high resolution satellite imagery, assessed in ArcGIS. The results of this study, and others, not only assist to improve knowledge of the genetics of H. zea, but improve the development and implementation of pest management strategies.