Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis in diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, a major pest of brassicas

CS2/1994/135: Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis in diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, a major pest of brassicas

China

CSIRO Division of Entomology, Australia

Dr Ray Akhurst
Phone: 02 6 246 4123
Fax: 2 6 246 4173
Email: raya@ento.csiro.au

• Huazhong Agricultural University, China

$97,759

01/07/1995 - 31/12/1996

01/01/1997 - 31/12/1997

Dr Paul Ferrar

Diamondback moth (DBM) is a major pest throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia and China where it is widely distributed and causes serious losses in vegetable production. It has a high capacity for developing resistance to insecticides and there are currently no environmentally benign synthetic insecticides to which it is not resistant. Control of this pest will rely heavily on the use of microbial insecticides, especially Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). However, in China DBM is already developing resistance to some Bt toxins, and it is in the USA and other parts of Southeast Asia. Consequently the IPM program being developed for DBM in China must include a significant component of resistance management. This proposal provides two essential components of resistance management for DBM by identifying alternative Bt toxins and establishing a protocol for monitoring resistance in field populations. The benefits to Australia are two-fold: resistance management for DBM in Australia and development of the skills and resources for management of resistance to Bt in other major pests such as heliothis and mosquitoes.

Vietnam perspective: Ms Doan Thanh Nga of the Agricultultural Genetics Institute, Hanoi, will visit CSIRO Division of Entomology for 6 months to work with Dr Ray Akhurst on resistance to Bacillus thuringiengsis. The China-Australia collaboration will be studying the types, mechanisms and genetics of Bt resistance currently developing (especially with Diamong Back Moth - DBM) in China. This will assist China to manage the resistance problem, and will warn Australia of what may later be expected here. The project will also seek new Bt toxins to which DBM is not yet resistant. Vietnam, like Australia, does not yet have recorded Bt resistance, but given the heavy use of Bt may well soon do so. Ms Nga will gain greatly by learning about the nature of the resistance already developed in China. She will visit at the same time as Ms Liu Xixia who will come over from the China project, and interchange of experiences should be very productive. Vietnam is also keen to learn about new Bt toxins that might become available. Ms Nga will be trained in techniques for identification of Bt isolates, identification of toxins of different Bt subspecies and relevant genetic techniques all of which will be completemented by the ongoing collaboration with China. The simultaneious cross-fertilisation between all three countries should be mutually beneficial.

Outcomes for this project are currently being prepared