Ecological modelling of the larval dispersion of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Bt cotton: implications for evolution and resistance management

Abstract

The demand for information in a systematic way about ecology of target pests of transgenic plants has increased in recent decades due to the growing interest in this new technology in pest management. Such information contributes the optimization of regional resistance management within the concept of population control pests in wide areas. Mobility larvae in agricultural ecosystems when the occurrence of contamination of Bt crops, intentionally or unintentionally - has been the subject of study by several researchers, however information about larval mobility in tropical conditions are still scarce. Under these conditions it is possible that caterpillars with some level of tolerance to Bt cotton, when they start feeding on cotton plant non-Bt can disperse and feed on Bt cotton plants, survive, reach adulthood and produce offspring, increasing probability of occurrence of individuals having the resistance allele with a higher frequency than expected. Moreover, high temperatures have a decreasing effect on the expression of Bt toxins. The above scenario creates opportunity for hypothesis testing on behavioral aspects of Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The support of the hypothesis is conditioned conducting studies focused on feeding behavior of the pest in field and laboratory conditions in order to insert a computational modeling component to study the spatial dynamics of the larvae. This proposal is linked to thematic project: "A Multi- and Interdisciplinary Approach to Understand Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Insect Pests and Design Landscapes for Sustainable Pest Management in Tropical Agricultural Systems