Enhanced Resistance to Helicoverpa zea in Tobacco Expressing an Activated Form of Maize Ribosome- Inactivating Protein

Progeny of two transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) lines that expressed an activated form of maize (Zea mays L.) ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) had varying resistance to the insect species tested. A subset of R2 plants from the two lines appeared to be more resistant to larvae of the cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (F.), and the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.) than the wild type plants. Progeny (R3) of the more resistant R2 plants were tested more extensively for insect resistance. Resistance to the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), was most consistent, with significantly decreased feeding often accompanied by increased mortality and reduced weights of survivors fed on leaf disks of the two transgenic lines compared to the wild type. The amount of damage by H. zea was significantly inversely correlated with levels of RIP. Resistance of RIP-producing plants to H. zea was greater than expected on the basis of prior in vitro results using diet-incorporated maize RIP. The R3 transgenic plant leaf disks were also often more resistant to feeding by larvae of L. serricorne compared to wild type plants. Although reduced feeding by M. sexta was noted when they were fed leaf disks from transgenic compared to wild type plants the first day of exposure, differences were not significant. This information provides further support for maize RIP having a role in resistance to maize-feeding insects. Keywords: Corn earworm; tobacco hornworm; Manduca; cigarette beetle; Lasioderma