Behavior of Bollworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae on Genetically Engineered Cotton

Abstract

Reports of bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), larvae feeding in white flowers of Bollgard cotton have been relatively common since the commercialization of this technology in 1996. Field studies were conducted in Louisiana to determine if differences in bollworm larval behavior occur on non-Bollgard (cultivar ‘Deltapine 5415’) and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), Bollgard (‘NuCOTN 33B’) cottons. Larvae were placed on the terminal foliage of either single cotton plants or on all plants within 1-m row micro-plots. On preflowering cotton plants, significantly more bollworms moved from the site of infestation (terminal) on Bollgard plants compared with that on non-Bollgard plants. On individual flowering plants, the number of nodes larvae moved from the terminal and the number of infested bolls was greater on Bollgard cotton plants. Similar differences between Bollgard and non-Bollgard plants in the percentage of infested terminals and squares were observed at 48-h after infestation when 1-m rows were infested. These data will be used to refine scouting protocols for bollworm larvae on Bollgard cotton.