Management Practices for Insect Resistance in Bt Maize

Abstract

The failure to reduce the population of a phytophagous species recognized as a key pest in a given situation usually occurs by not using the principles of Integrated Pest Management IPM . The control of insect pests in agriculture has been done mainly through the application of chemical insecticides. However, chemical insecticides has lost effectiveness due to the selection of populations of resistant insects and cause adverse environmental effects. The main resistance management programs IRM strategy is the use of high dose/refuge , which involves the use of high dose of Bt protein in plants, promoting high mortality of heterozygotes associated with the planting of refuge, ie, a proportion of the crop in which it must be planted a non-Bt variety, allowing the survival of susceptible individuals. The emergence of Bt crops is an important step between the tactics available for pest control in various crops such as maize, canola, cotton and, in the near future, soybeans.

Assessing the Efficacy of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Pyramided Proteins Cry1F, Cry1A.105, Cry2Ab2, and Vip3Aa20 Expressed in Bt Maize Against Lepidopteran Pests in Brazil

“…However, many important pests of maize have cryptic feeding habits (e.g., inside plant parts) or seek hiding places (soil debris), making it difficult to monitor or to reach with chemical insecticides alone. Therefore, current pest control in Brazilian maize is the result of a broad adoption of integrated practices ( Piccinin et al 2016 ). The success of these programs led to current pest management practices in maize relying on integrating multiple strategies, including cultural, biological, chemical and transgenic methods ( Okumura et al 2013 , Waquil et al 2013 , Piccinin et al 2016 , Burtet et al 2017 ).…”

“…Therefore, current pest control in Brazilian maize is the result of a broad adoption of integrated practices ( Piccinin et al 2016 ). The success of these programs led to current pest management practices in maize relying on integrating multiple strategies, including cultural, biological, chemical and transgenic methods ( Okumura et al 2013 , Waquil et al 2013 , Piccinin et al 2016 , Burtet et al 2017 ). As part of this integrated strategy, Bt crops offer a practical management of lepidopteran target pests.…”