Effects on the Development of Plutella xylostella and Spodoptera litura after Feeding on Transgenic Cabbage Expressing Potato Proteinase Inhibitor II and Bar Genes

Effects on the Development of Plutella xylostella and Spodoptera litura after Feeding on Transgenic Cabbage Expressing Potato Proteinase Inhibitor II and Bar Genes

Cabbage plants were transformed with the potato proteinase inhibitor II (PINII) gene, bar gene, and hpt gene using Agrobacterium. The expression of the PINII gene was driven by its own promoter which was wound-inducible. Ten transgenic plants were obtained from medium containing hygromycin as a selection antibiotic. The integration and expression of PINII and bar genes were confirmed by Southern and Northern hybridization. Growth and development of diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella) and tobacco cutworm (Spodoptera litura) larvae were examined on $T_1$ plants. The weight of the larvae and pupae of these two insects grown on transgenic plants was not different compared to those grown on wild type plants. However, the pupation and emergence rate of diamondback moths and tobacco cutworms fed on some transgenic plants was lower than on wild type plants. These results suggest that the PINII transgene under the control of a wound-induced promoter may be used for control of insects in transgenic cabbage through reduction of insect progeny number.