Practical resistance to Cry toxins and efficacy of Vip3Aa in Bt cotton against Helicoverpa zea

Continued decline in sublethal effects of Bt toxins on Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in field corn

The majority of field corn, Zea mays L., in the southeastern United States has been genetically engineered to express insecticidal toxins produced by the soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Field corn is the most important mid-season host for corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which has developed resistance to all Cry toxins in Bt corn. From 2020 to 2023, corn earworm pupae were collected from early- and late-planted pyramided hybrids expressing Bt toxins and non-Bt near-isolines in North and South Carolina (16 trials). A total of 5,856 pupae were collected across all trials, with 55 and 88% more pupae collected in later-planted trials relative to early plantings in North and South Carolina, respectively. Only 20 pupae were collected from hybrids expressing Cry1F + Cry1Ab + Vip3A20 across all trials. Averaged across trials, Cry1A.105 + Cry2Ab2 hybrids reduced pupal weight by 6 and 9% in North and South Carolina, respectively, relative to the non-Bt near-isoline. Cry1F + Cry1Ab hybrids reduced pupal weight on average by 3 and 8% in North and South Carolina, respectively, relative to the non-Bt near-isoline. The impact of the Bt toxins on pupal weight varied among trials. When combined with data from 2014 to 2019 from previous studies, a significant decline in the percent reduction in pupal weight over time was found in both states and hybrid families. This study demonstrates a continued decline in the sublethal impacts of Bt toxins on corn earworm, emphasizing the importance of insect resistance management practices.

Competition between brown stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and corn earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in field corn

Interspecific competition is an important ecological concept which can play a major role in insect population dynamics. In the southeastern United States, a complex of stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), primarily the brown stink bug, Euschistus servus (Say), and corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), are the 2 most common pests of field corn, Zea mays L. (Poales: Poaceae). Stink bugs have the greatest potential for economic injury during the late stages of vegetative corn development when feeding can result in deformed or "banana-shaped" ears and reduced grain yield. Corn earworm moths lay eggs on corn silks during the first stages of reproductive development. A 2-year field study was conducted to determine the impact of feeding by the brown stink bug during late-vegetative stages on subsequent corn earworm oviposition, larval infestations, and grain yield. Brown stink bug feeding prior to tasseling caused deformed ears and reduced overall grain yield by up to 92%. Across all trials, varying levels of brown stink bug density and injury reduced the number of corn earworm larvae by 29-100% and larval feeding by 46-85%. Averaged across brown stink bug densities, later planted corn experienced a 9-fold increase in number of corn earworm larvae. This is the first study demonstrating a competitive interaction between these major pests in a field corn setting, and these results have potential implications for insect resistance management.

Host Tropism and Structural Biology of ABC Toxin Complexes

ABC toxin complexes are a class of protein toxin translocases comprised of a multimeric assembly of protein subunits. Each subunit displays a unique composition, contributing to the formation of a syringe-like nano-machine with natural cargo carrying, targeting, and translocation capabilities. Many of these toxins are insecticidal, drawing increasing interest in agriculture for use as biological pesticides. The A subunit (TcA) is the largest subunit of the complex and contains domains associated with membrane permeation and targeting. The B and C subunits, TcB and TcC, respectively, package into a cocoon-like structure that contains a toxic peptide and are coupled to TcA to form a continuous channel upon final assembly. In this review, we outline the current understanding and gaps in the knowledge pertaining to ABC toxins, highlighting seven published structures of TcAs and how these structures have led to a better understanding of the mechanism of host tropism and toxin translocation. We also highlight similarities and differences between homologues that contribute to variations in host specificity and conformational change. Lastly, we review the biotechnological potential of ABC toxins as both pesticides and cargo-carrying shuttles that enable the transport of peptides into cells.

Retrotransposon-mediated disruption of a chitin synthase gene confers insect resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis Vip3Aa toxin

The vegetative insecticidal protein Vip3Aa from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been produced by transgenic crops to counter pest resistance to the widely used crystalline (Cry) insecticidal proteins from Bt. To proactively manage pest resistance, there is an urgent need to better understand the genetic basis of resistance to Vip3Aa, which has been largely unknown. We discovered that retrotransposon-mediated alternative splicing of a midgut-specific chitin synthase gene was associated with 5,560-fold resistance to Vip3Aa in a laboratory-selected strain of the fall armyworm, a globally important crop pest. The same mutation in this gene was also detected in a field population. Knockout of this gene via CRISPR/Cas9 caused high levels of resistance to Vip3Aa in fall armyworm and 2 other lepidopteran pests. The insights provided by these results could help to advance monitoring and management of pest resistance to Vip3Aa.

Yield analysis and corn earworm feeding in Bt and non-Bt corn hybrids across diverse locations

Corn, Zea mays L. (Poales: Poaceae), growers in the US Cotton Belt are required to plant 20% of total corn acres to non-Bt hybrids for resistance management (non-Bt refuge). Most growers do not meet this requirement, in part, because they perceive non-Bt hybrids to yield less than Bt hybrids. We planted multiple non-Bt and Bt hybrids from a single company in small-plot replicated trials at a single location from 2019 to 2023, as well as in small-plot replicated trials at multiple locations during 2022 and 2023. In the single location, we measured kernel injury from corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea Boddie (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and we recorded yield at all locations. In the single location trial, yields only separated among hybrids in 3 out of 5 years. In the multiple location trial, yields were variable between both years. We found that Bt hybrids tended to yield higher than non-Bt hybrids overall, but this was influenced by the inclusion of non-Bt hybrids that had a lower overall genetic yield potential in the environments we tested them in. In both tests, when hybrids were analyzed during each year, both Bt and non-Bt hybrids were among the statistically highest yielders. Our study demonstrates the importance of comparing multiple Bt and non-Bt hybrids to draw yield comparisons. This highlights the need for corn seed company breeders to put effort into improving yield for non-Bt hybrids. Hopefully this effort will translate into increased planting of non-Bt refuge corn for growers in the US Cotton Belt.

Diverse genetic basis of Vip3Aa resistance in five independent field-derived strains of Helicoverpa zea in the US

BACKGROUND

Practical resistance of Helicoverpa zea to Cry proteins has become widespread in the US, making Vip3Aa the only effective Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) protein for controlling this pest. Understanding the genetic basis of Vip3Aa resistance in H. zea is essential in sustaining the long-term efficacy of Vip3Aa. The objectives of this study were to characterize the inheritance of Vip3Aa resistance in four distinct field-derived H. zea strains (M1-RR, AC4-RR, R2-RR and R15-RR), and to test for shared genetic basis among these strains and a previously characterized Texas resistant strain (LT#70-RR).

RESULTS

Maternal effects and sex linkage were absent, and the effective dominance level (DML) was 0.0 across Vip3Aa39 concentrations ranging from 1.0 to 31.6 μg cm-2, in all H. zea resistant strains. Mendelian monogenic model tests indicated that Vip3Aa resistance in each of the four strains was controlled by a single gene. However, interstrain complementation tests indicated that three distinct genetic loci are involved in Vip3Aa resistance in the five resistant H. zea strains: one shared by M1-RR and LT#70-RR; another shared by R2-RR and R15-RR; and a distinct one for AC4-RR.

CONCLUSION

Results of this study indicate that Vip3Aa resistance in all H. zea strains was controlled by a single, recessive and autosomal gene. However, there were three distinct genetic loci associated with Vip3Aa resistance in the five resistant H. zea strains. The information generated from this study is valuable for exploring mechanisms of Vip3Aa resistance, monitoring the evolution of Vip3Aa resistance, and devising effective strategies for managing Vip3Aa resistance in H. zea. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Cyclotides: The next generation in biopesticide development for eco-friendly agriculture

Chemical pesticides remain the predominant method for pest management in numerous countries. Given the current landscape of agriculture, the development of biopesticides has become increasingly crucial. The strategy empowers farmers to efficiently manage pests and diseases, while prioritizing minimal adverse effects on the environment and human health, hence fostering sustainable management. In recent years, there has been a growing interest and optimism surrounding the utilization of peptide biopesticides for crop protection. These sustainable and environmentally friendly substances have been recognized as viable alternatives to synthetic pesticides due to their outstanding environmental compatibility and efficacy. Numerous studies have been conducted to synthesize and identify peptides that exhibit activity against significant plant pathogens. One of the peptide classes is cyclotides, which are cyclic cysteine-rich peptides renowned for their wide range of sequences and functions. In this review, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of cyclotides, focusing on their structural attributes, developmental history, significant biological functions in crop protection, techniques for identification and investigation, and the application of biotechnology to enhance cyclotide synthesis. The objective is to emphasize the considerable potential of cyclotides as the next generation of plant protection agents on the global scale.

Reduced toxin binding associated with resistance to Vip3Aa in the corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea)

IMPORTANCE

Helicoverpa zea is a major crop pest in the United States that is managed with transgenic corn and cotton that produce insecticidal proteins from the bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). However, H. zea has evolved widespread resistance to the Cry proteins produced in Bt corn and cotton, leaving Vip3Aa as the only plant-incorporated protectant in Bt crops that consistently provides excellent control of H. zea. The benefits provided by Bt crops will be substantially reduced if widespread Vip3Aa resistance develops in H. zea field populations. Therefore, it is important to identify resistance alleles and mechanisms that contribute to Vip3Aa resistance to ensure that informed resistance management strategies are implemented. This study is the first report of reduced binding of Vip3Aa to midgut receptors associated with resistance.

Downregulation of a transcription factor associated with resistance to Bt toxin Vip3Aa in the invasive fall armyworm

Transgenic crops producing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have revolutionized control of some major pests. However, more than 25 cases of field-evolved practical resistance have reduced the efficacy of transgenic crops producing crystalline (Cry) Bt proteins, spurring adoption of alternatives including crops producing the Bt vegetative insecticidal protein Vip3Aa. Although practical resistance to Vip3Aa has not been reported yet, better understanding of the genetic basis of resistance to Vip3Aa is urgently needed to proactively monitor, delay, and counter pest resistance. This is especially important for fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), which has evolved practical resistance to Cry proteins and is one of the world's most damaging pests. Here, we report the identification of an association between downregulation of the transcription factor gene SfMyb and resistance to Vip3Aa in S. frugiperda. Results from a genome-wide association study, fine-scale mapping, and RNA-Seq identified this gene as a compelling candidate for contributing to the 206-fold resistance to Vip3Aa in a laboratory-selected strain. Experimental reduction of SfMyb expression in a susceptible strain using RNA interference (RNAi) or CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing decreased susceptibility to Vip3Aa, confirming that reduced expression of this gene can cause resistance to Vip3Aa. Relative to the wild-type promoter for SfMyb, the promoter in the resistant strain has deletions and lower activity. Data from yeast one-hybrid assays, genomics, RNA-Seq, RNAi, and proteomics identified genes that are strong candidates for mediating the effects of SfMyb on Vip3Aa resistance. The results reported here may facilitate progress in understanding and managing pest resistance to Vip3Aa.

Inheritance and fitness cost of laboratory-selected resistance to Vip3Aa in Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The polyphagous pest Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) has evolved practical resistance to transgenic corn and cotton producing Cry1 and Cry2 crystal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in several regions of the United States. However, the Bt vegetative insecticidal protein Vip3Aa produced by Bt corn and cotton remains effective against this pest. To advance knowledge of resistance to Vip3Aa, we selected a strain of H. zea for resistance to Vip3Aa in the laboratory. After 28 generations of continuous selection, the resistance ratio was 267 for the selected strain (GA-R3) relative to a strain not selected with Vip3Aa (GA). Resistance was autosomal and almost completely recessive at a concentration killing all individuals from GA. Declines in resistance in heterogeneous strains containing a mixture of susceptible and resistant individuals reared in the absence of Vip3Aa indicate a fitness cost was associated with resistance. Previously reported cases of laboratory-selected resistance to Vip3Aa in lepidopteran pests often show partially or completely recessive resistance at high concentrations and fitness costs. Abundant refuges of non-Bt host plants can maximize the benefits of such costs for sustaining the efficacy of Vip3Aa against target pests.

Performance of cotton expressing Cry1Ac, Cry1F and Vip3Aa19 insecticidal proteins against Helicoverpa armigera, H. zea and their hybrid progeny, and evidence of reduced susceptibility of a field population of H. zea to Cry1 and Vip3Aa in Brazil

The genetically modified cotton DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 expressing Cry1Ac, Cry1F and Vip3Aa19 from Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) has been cultivated in Brazil since the 2020/2021 season. Here, we assessed the performance of DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 cotton expressing Cry1Ac, Cry1F and Vip3Aa19 against Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), and their hybrid progeny. We also carried out evaluations with DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 cotton containing Cry1Ac and Cry1F. In leaf-disk bioassays, DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 was effective in controlling neonates from laboratory colonies of H. armigera, H. zea and the hybrid progeny (71.9%-100% mortality). On floral bud bioassays using L2 larvae, H. zea presented complete mortality, whereas H. armigera and the hybrid progeny showed <55% mortality. On DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 cotton, the mortality of H. armigera on leaf-disk and floral buds ranged from 60% to 73%, whereas mortality of hybrids was <46%. This Bt cotton caused complete mortality of H. zea larvae from a laboratory colony in the early growth stages, but mortalities were <55% on advanced growth stages and on floral buds. In field studies conducted from 2014 to 2019, DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 cotton was also effective at protecting plants against H. armigera. In contrast, a population of H. zea collected in western Bahia in 2021/2022 on Bt cotton expressing Cry1 and Vip3Aa proteins, showed 63% mortality after 30 d, with insects developing into fifth and sixth instars, on DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 cotton. We conclude that H. armigera, H. zea, and their hybrid progeny can be managed with DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 cotton; however we found the first evidence in Brazil of a significant reduction in the susceptibility to DAS-21023-5 × DAS-24236-5 × SYN-IR102-7 cotton of a population of H. zea collected from Bt cotton in Bahia in 2021/2022.

Extended Sentinel Monitoring of Helicoverpa zea Resistance to Cry and Vip3Aa Toxins in Bt Sweet Corn: Assessing Changes in Phenotypic and Allele Frequencies of Resistance

Transgenic corn and cotton that produce Cry and Vip3Aa toxins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are widely planted in the United States to control lepidopteran pests. The sustainability of these Bt crops is threatened because the corn earworm/bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), is evolving a resistance to these toxins. Using Bt sweet corn as a sentinel plant to monitor the evolution of resistance, collaborators established 146 trials in twenty-five states and five Canadian provinces during 2020-2022. The study evaluated overall changes in the phenotypic frequency of resistance (the ratio of larval densities in Bt ears relative to densities in non-Bt ears) in H. zea populations and the range of resistance allele frequencies for Cry1Ab and Vip3Aa. The results revealed a widespread resistance to Cry1Ab, Cry2Ab2, and Cry1A.105 Cry toxins, with higher numbers of larvae surviving in Bt ears than in non-Bt ears at many trial locations. Depending on assumptions about the inheritance of resistance, allele frequencies for Cry1Ab ranged from 0.465 (dominant resistance) to 0.995 (recessive resistance). Although Vip3Aa provided high control efficacy against H. zea, the results show a notable increase in ear damage and a number of surviving older larvae, particularly at southern locations. Assuming recessive resistance, the estimated resistance allele frequencies for Vip3Aa ranged from 0.115 in the Gulf states to 0.032 at more northern locations. These findings indicate that better resistance management practices are urgently needed to sustain efficacy the of corn and cotton that produce Vip3Aa.

Refuges of conventional host plants counter dominant resistance of cotton bollworm to transgenic Bt cotton

Transgenic crops have revolutionized insect pest control, but evolution of resistance by pests threatens their continued success. The primary strategy for combating pest resistance to crops producing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) uses refuges of non-Bt host plants to allow survival of susceptible insects. The prevailing paradigm is that refuges delay resistance that is rare and recessively inherited. However, we discovered refuges countered resistance to Bt cotton that was neither rare nor recessive. In a 15-year field study of the cotton bollworm, the frequency of a mutation conferring dominant resistance to Bt cotton surged 100-fold from 2006 to 2016 yet did not rise from 2016 to 2020. Computer simulations indicate the increased refuge percentage from 2016 to 2020 is sufficient to explain the observed halt in the evolution of resistance. The results also demonstrate the efficacy of a Bt crop can be sustained by non-Bt refuges of other crops.

Global Patterns of Insect Resistance to Transgenic Bt Crops: The First 25 Years

Crops genetically engineered to produce insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have improved pest management and reduced reliance on insecticide sprays. However, evolution of practical resistance by some pests has reduced the efficacy of Bt crops. We analyzed global resistance monitoring data for 24 pest species based on the first 25 yr of cultivation of Bt crops including corn, cotton, soybean, and sugarcane. Each of the 73 cases examined represents the response of one pest species in one country to one Bt toxin produced by one or more Bt crops. The cases of practical resistance rose from 3 in 2005 to 26 in 2020. Practical resistance has been documented in some populations of 11 pest species (nine lepidopterans and two coleopterans), collectively affecting nine widely used crystalline (Cry) Bt toxins in seven countries. Conversely, 30 cases reflect no decrease in susceptibility to Bt crops in populations of 16 pest species in 10 countries. The remaining 17 cases provide early warnings of resistance, which entail genetically based decreases in susceptibility without evidence of reduced field efficacy. The early warnings involve four Cry toxins and the Bt vegetative insecticidal protein Vip3Aa. Factors expected to favor sustained susceptibility include abundant refuges of non-Bt host plants, recessive inheritance of resistance, low resistance allele frequency, fitness costs, incomplete resistance, and redundant killing by multi-toxin Bt crops. Also, sufficiently abundant refuges can overcome some unfavorable conditions for other factors. These insights may help to increase the sustainability of current and future transgenic insecticidal crops.

A Modified F2 Screen for Estimating Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab Resistance Allele Frequencies in Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Evaluating the frequency of resistance alleles is important for resistance management and sustainable use of transgenic crops that produce insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis. Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a major crop pest in the United States that has evolved practical resistance to the crystalline (Cry) proteins in Bt corn and cotton. The standard F2 screen for estimating resistance allele frequency does not work well for H. zea because successful single-pair matings are rare. In this study, we developed and implemented a modified F2 screen for H. zea that generates F1 progeny by crossing three laboratory susceptible female moths with one feral male moth instead of single-pair crosses. During 2019-2020, we used this modified method to establish 192 F2 families from 623 matings between susceptible females and feral males from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. From each F2 family, we screened 128 neonates against discriminating concentrations of Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab in diet overlay bioassays. Based on these discriminating concentration bioassays, families were considered positive for resistance if at least five larvae survived to second instar, including at least one to third instar. The percentage of positive families was 92.7% for Cry1Ac and 38.5% for Cry2Ab, which yields an estimated resistance allele frequency (with 95% confidence interval) of 0.722 (0.688-0.764) for Cry1Ac and 0.217 (0.179-0.261) for Cry2Ab. The modified F2 screen developed and implemented here may be useful for future resistance monitoring studies of H. zea and other pests.

Magnitude and Extent of Helicoverpa zea Resistance Levels to Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab2 across the Southeastern USA

After resistance is first detected, continued resistance monitoring can inform decisions on how to effectively manage resistant populations. We monitored for resistance to Cry1Ac (2018 and 2019) and Cry2Ab2 (2019) from southeastern USA populations of Helicoverpa zea. We collected larvae from various plant hosts, sib-mated the adults, and tested neonates using diet-overlay bioassays and compared them to susceptible populations for resistance estimates. We also compared LC₅₀ values with larval survival, weight and larval inhibition at the highest dose tested using regression, and found that LC₅₀ values were negatively correlated with survival for both proteins. Finally, we compared resistance rations between Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab2 during 2019. Some populations were resistant to Cry1Ac, and most were resistant to CryAb2; Cry1Ac resistance ratios were lower than Cry2Ab2 during 2019. Survival was positively correlated with larval weight inhibition for Cry2Ab. This contrasts with other studies in both the mid-southern and southeastern USA, where resistance to Cry1Ac, Cry1A.105, and Cry2Ab2 increased over time and was found in a majority of populations. This indicates that cotton expressing Cry proteins in the southeastern USA was at variable risk for damage in this region.

Resistance Allele Frequency of Helicoverpa zea to Vip3Aa Bacillus thuringiensis Protein in the Southeastern U.S

Helicoverpa zea is a major target pest of Bt crops expressing Cry and/or Vip3Aa proteins in the U.S.A. Widespread practical resistance of H. zea to the Cry1 and Cry2 proteins makes Vip3Aa the only effective Bt protein against this pest. Understanding the frequency of resistance alleles against Vip3Aa in field populations of H. zea is crucial for resistance management and the sustainability of Vip3Aa technology. Using a modified F₂ screen method by crossing susceptible laboratory female moth with feral male moth of H. zea, we successfully screened a total of 24,576 neonates from 192 F₂ families of H. zea collected from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee during 2019-2020. We found five F₂ families containing ≥3rd instar survivors on the diagnostic concentration of 3.0 µg/cm² Vip3Aa39. Dose-response bioassays confirmed the high levels of Vip3Aa resistance in these F₂ families, with an estimated resistance ratio of >909.1-fold relative to the susceptible strain. The estimated resistance allele frequency against Vip3Aa in H. zea for these four southern states is 0.0155 with a 95% CI of 0.0057-0.0297. These data should provide critical information for understanding the risks of Vip3Aa resistance in H. zea and help design appropriate resistance management strategies for the sustainability of the Vip3Aa technology.