Jay C. Pershing

Cholesterol oxidase: an oöstatic and larvicidal agent active against the cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis

The enzyme cholesterol oxidase (E.C. 1.1.3.6), purified from Streptomyces culture filtrate was previously found to have oral insecticidal activity on neonate larvae of the boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman) from a laboratory population. In the present study, second instar larvae were also controlled by the enzyme at diet concentrations similar to those which control neonates (12 day LC50 = 2.4 μg.ml−1 in diet). Larvae from field‐collected adults were similarly susceptible to cholesterol oxidase in the diet. When ingested by adult females during the mating/pre‐oviposition period, cholesterol oxidase greatly reduced subsequent oviposition (83% reduction in eggs laid as compared to controls) and larval survival (97% reduction from controls). Dissection of treated adult females revealed poorly developed ovaries and few developing oöcytes. These studies were conducted to further evaluate the utility of cholesterol oxidase in a program to establish boll weevil‐resistant transgenic cotton.

Field Evaluation of Transgenic Corn Containing a Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner Insecticidal Protein Gene Against Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Twelve independently transformed lines of transgenic corn (Zea mays L.) expressing the CryIA(b) insecticidal protein from Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki were field tested to evaluate their re...