A34-Lancaatar Firming, Saturday, April 16, 1994
DAVIS, Calif. An industry
group has announced funding of its
first projects to take genetic insect
resistance-management out of the
laboratory and into a field setting.
According a news release made
this week, the Bt Management
Working Group (BtMWG), an
international industry group com
prised of scientists from 15 compa
nies, has announced it is providing
$60,000 to fund three research
projects.
Two of the field studies are to
involve plants which have been
genetically altered to produce pro
teins normally produced by Bacil
lus Thuringiensis (Bt).
Another study is to research resistance factors in
the diamondback moth in field experiements in the
United States and abroad.
Bacillus Thuringiensis is a bacterica which
causes death in caterpillars after it is ingested,
because of its lethal effect in the gut of the insect
larva.
It has been used as a natural agent in the control of
Gypsy Moth and other insects, such as the black fly.
This year is the first time that BtMWG, a non
headquartered group with interest in the use of Bt,
has sponsored research involved in actual field
experiments, according to Susan Macintosh, chair
person of the BtMWG, and scientist at Novo Nor
disk Entotech, in Davis, Calif.
Those receiving funding are North Carlonia State
University and University of Illinois for research on
the European comborer; Cornell University for Dia
mondback Moth research; and Mississippi State
University for research into the tobacco budworm in
cotton.
Entomologists, or insect researchers, at North
Carolina and Illinois universities are to conduct
field experiments involving corn plants that have
been given genetic material to produce Bt for con
trol of European comborer.
The researchers are to use field work as well as
computer modeling to determine if mixtures of com
with and without Bt production abilities can slow or
avoid Bt resistance in the com borer. A devasting
com pest, the European com borer has not, as of yet,
exhibited resistance to Bt
David Onstad, with the office of Agricultural
Entomology at Illinois , and Fred Gould, with the
Department of Entomology at N.C. State Universi
ty, are in charge of the research.
“The research will look at the survival of insects
that migrate from one plant to another,” said Brian
Melin, vice chairman of the BtM WG. Melin is also a
scientist at Abbott Laboratories. “Some questions to
be answered are, ‘Do the insects migrate away from
the com plant with Bt?’ and, if they do, ‘Are they
going to survive on plants without the Bt gene?’”
In another project, Cornell University experts are
to supervise field work on strategies to deter, iden
tify, and measure resistance in the Diamondback
Moth. Anthony Shelton and Richard Roush, with
the Department of Entomology at Cornell, are
responsible for the project.
Nova Scotia, Prince Edward
Island, New Brunswick &
Portland, Maine
Tour Originates In Harrisburg, PA
June 29 to July 8
10 Days/9 Nights
Excellent hotel arrangements,
over-night Cruise on Floating Resort
from Portland, Maine to Yarmouth,
with cabin - featuring duty-free
shopping, casino gambling,
entertainment that has the sparkle of
Las Vegas!
All breakfasts and 5 additional
meals, Includes
• Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic
• A Panoramic Seaside Drive and visit to
Peggy's Cove
• Halifax Citadel
• Nova Scotia International Tattoo
• 3 Nights in Halifax, Nova Scotia
• 2 nights in historic Charlottetown, visit Anne of
Green Gables house
Value packed & priced right
@ $995/person double occupancy
Call for Details (717) 645-7781
Gamaldi Tours
PO Box 6343, Hwrl«burg. PA 17112
Universities
Melin said that the study of the
Diamondback is of special interest
because it is the only known pest to
have developed resistance to Bl in
the field, even though Bt have been
used in agriculture for about 30
years.
He said this may be because of
this particular moth’s relatively
low mobility and high reproduc
tive capacity, combined with high
doses of Bl
For the Diamondback, actual
field studies are to be conducted in
Florida, New Yoik, Texas, Cana
da, and Central America to deter
mine what strategies may best
deter resistance, and also to deve
lop a technique for identifying and
TRAILED MOWER-CONDITIONERS
GMT and GMR 2400/2800/3200
VL „ pc. /gn ;s
unmatched productivity in heavy crops.
GMR mower conditioners are state of the
art in appearance and performance.
Deutz-Fahr’s new generation of Rotary
Windrowers with “Roto-Fix” tine arm position
ing means clean raking, gentle handling of
the crop, and uniform windrows. New tine
arm design provides smooth delivery, higher
discharge for heavy crops, and clean
windrows.
Receive Research Funds
measuring resistance in the moth at
the earliest time possible.
Other research that involves the
tobacco budworm is to be done in
the laboratory with the use of com
puter simulation.
According to the news release,
entomologist Michael Caprio,
with the Mississippi State Univer
sity, is to itse computer models to
evaluate strategies designed to
manage Bt resistance in the bud
worm, as it concerns cotton plants
that have been genetically altered
to produce the Bt protein. He is to
look at best ways to put plants out
in the field to avoid or delay resis
tance, seed mixtures, etc., through
computer modeling and
simulation.
GREENIAND
DEUTZ-FAHR
ROTARY WINDROWERS
Cits CUMMINGS and BRICKED, Inc.
Call or Write for more information on these and other Greenland
100-120 Lehigh Ave.
PO Box 928
Batavia, N.Y. 14021
716-343-3511
hay tools, and the name of your nearest dealer.
Although it is the first year that
BtMWC has supported field
research, it is the fifth consecutive
year that the group has dedicated
funding of research into Bt
resistance-management strategies
and the role that Bt-based products
play in integrated pest manage
ment (IPM) systems, according to
Macintosh. Altogether the group
has provided more than $300,000
in grants during that time.
“Until now, the BtMWG
sponsored research has focused
exclusively on laboratory studies,
including computer modeling of
i>uY.mi.Tn*p[ on hint TiiwouoiiTm
Consistent bale density, ideal bale weight,
and easy unrolling make Deutz-Fahr balers
ideal for silage bales. Optional “Opticut”
system prechops the crop prior to baling,
producing high density, easily fed bales.
Compare features and price with competi
tion. Deutz-Fahr balers are the best value
on the market!
QflBOn) DISC MOWERS
CM 147/167/217/247
Cutting widths from 5’6” to 10’6”, all using
Vicon’s triangular cutting discs for smooth,
unobstructed mowing in the toughest crops.
At 9000 cuts per minute, compared to 6000
for a 2 blade mower, and 1800 for a sickle
bar mower, competition can’t cut it when
the going gets tough I
Distributed By
insect resistance strategies. We
will continue to do some of that, as
well as basic studies of how Bts
work, but the increasing availabili
ty of both spray-on and plant Bt
products now allows us to move on
to a more real life setting of field
research,” Macintosh said.
The objective of the group is to
ensure the availability of a broad
spectrum of mechanisms to protect
crops against insects, she said.
“Our research and education prog
ram is dedicated to ensuring this
goal.”
DEUTZ-FAHR
ROUND BALERS
100 Stover Drive
Carlisle, PA 17013
717-249-6720