Abstract
Extensive cultivation of crops genetically engineered to produce insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has suppressed some major pests, reduced insecticide sprays, enhanced pest control by natural enemies, and increased grower profits. However these benefits are being eroded by evolution of resistance in pests. We report a strategy for combating resistance by crossing transgenic Bt plants with conventional non-Bt plants and then crossing the resulting first-generation (F1) hybrid progeny and sowing the second-generation (F2) seeds. This strategy yields a random mixture within fields of three-quarters of plants that produce Bt toxin and one-quarter that does not. We hypothesized that the non-Bt plants in this mixture promote survival of susceptible insects, thereby delaying evolution of resistance. To test this hypothesis, we compared predictions from computer modeling with data monitoring pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac produced by transgenic cotton in an 11-y study at 17 field sites in six provinces of China. The frequency of resistant individuals in the field increased before this strategy was widely deployed and then declined after its widespread adoption boosted the percentage of non-Bt cotton plants in the region. The correspondence between the predicted and observed outcomes implies that this strategy countered evolution of resistance. Despite the increased percentage of non-Bt cotton, suppression of pink bollworm was sustained. Unlike other resistance management tactics that require regulatory intervention growers adopted this strategy voluntarily, apparently because of advantages that may include better performance as well as lower costs for seeds and insecticides.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 5413-5418 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |
| Volume | 114 |
| Issue number | 21 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 23 2017 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Evolution
- Genetically modified
- Refuge
- Resistance management
- Sustainability
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General
Cite this
Hybridizing transgenic Bt cotton with non-Bt cotton counters resistance in pink bollworm. / Wan, Peng; Xu, Dong; Cong, Shengbo; Jiang, Yuying; Huang, Yunxin; Wang, Jintao; Wu, Huaiheng; Wang, Ling; Wu, Kongming; Carriere, Yves; Mathias, Andrea; Li, Xianchun; Tabashnik, Bruce E.
In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 114, No. 21, 23.05.2017, p. 5413-5418.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Hybridizing transgenic Bt cotton with non-Bt cotton counters resistance in pink bollworm
AU - Wan, Peng
AU - Xu, Dong
AU - Cong, Shengbo
AU - Jiang, Yuying
AU - Huang, Yunxin
AU - Wang, Jintao
AU - Wu, Huaiheng
AU - Wang, Ling
AU - Wu, Kongming
AU - Carriere, Yves
AU - Mathias, Andrea
AU - Li, Xianchun
AU - Tabashnik, Bruce E
PY - 2017/5/23
Y1 - 2017/5/23
N2 - Extensive cultivation of crops genetically engineered to produce insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has suppressed some major pests, reduced insecticide sprays, enhanced pest control by natural enemies, and increased grower profits. However these benefits are being eroded by evolution of resistance in pests. We report a strategy for combating resistance by crossing transgenic Bt plants with conventional non-Bt plants and then crossing the resulting first-generation (F1) hybrid progeny and sowing the second-generation (F2) seeds. This strategy yields a random mixture within fields of three-quarters of plants that produce Bt toxin and one-quarter that does not. We hypothesized that the non-Bt plants in this mixture promote survival of susceptible insects, thereby delaying evolution of resistance. To test this hypothesis, we compared predictions from computer modeling with data monitoring pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac produced by transgenic cotton in an 11-y study at 17 field sites in six provinces of China. The frequency of resistant individuals in the field increased before this strategy was widely deployed and then declined after its widespread adoption boosted the percentage of non-Bt cotton plants in the region. The correspondence between the predicted and observed outcomes implies that this strategy countered evolution of resistance. Despite the increased percentage of non-Bt cotton, suppression of pink bollworm was sustained. Unlike other resistance management tactics that require regulatory intervention growers adopted this strategy voluntarily, apparently because of advantages that may include better performance as well as lower costs for seeds and insecticides.
AB - Extensive cultivation of crops genetically engineered to produce insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has suppressed some major pests, reduced insecticide sprays, enhanced pest control by natural enemies, and increased grower profits. However these benefits are being eroded by evolution of resistance in pests. We report a strategy for combating resistance by crossing transgenic Bt plants with conventional non-Bt plants and then crossing the resulting first-generation (F1) hybrid progeny and sowing the second-generation (F2) seeds. This strategy yields a random mixture within fields of three-quarters of plants that produce Bt toxin and one-quarter that does not. We hypothesized that the non-Bt plants in this mixture promote survival of susceptible insects, thereby delaying evolution of resistance. To test this hypothesis, we compared predictions from computer modeling with data monitoring pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) resistance to Bt toxin Cry1Ac produced by transgenic cotton in an 11-y study at 17 field sites in six provinces of China. The frequency of resistant individuals in the field increased before this strategy was widely deployed and then declined after its widespread adoption boosted the percentage of non-Bt cotton plants in the region. The correspondence between the predicted and observed outcomes implies that this strategy countered evolution of resistance. Despite the increased percentage of non-Bt cotton, suppression of pink bollworm was sustained. Unlike other resistance management tactics that require regulatory intervention growers adopted this strategy voluntarily, apparently because of advantages that may include better performance as well as lower costs for seeds and insecticides.
KW - Evolution
KW - Genetically modified
KW - Refuge
KW - Resistance management
KW - Sustainability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85019547838&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85019547838&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1073/pnas.1700396114
DO - 10.1073/pnas.1700396114
M3 - Article
VL - 114
SP - 5413
EP - 5418
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
SN - 0027-8424
IS - 21
ER -