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Q&A ViewAttendees 1

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

Student Competition 10-Minute Paper

Grad P-IE: Education and Extension

Evaluation of the Bt toxin, Cry51Aa for control of thrips and tarnished plant bugs in cotton

Monday, November 1, 2021
11:30 AM - 11:42 AM MT
Location: Colorado Convention Center, Meeting Room 207
In-Person Student Competition

Thrips and tarnished plant bug (TPB) are the most important pests in mid-south cotton production. Thrips are a pest in seedling cotton typically feeding on the leaf tissue of plants which can result in stunted growth, delayed fruiting, loss of apical dominance and possible stand loss. TPB is considered the number one insect pest of cotton causing square loss, deformed flowers and damaged bolls ultimately reducing yield. TPB are difficult to control and growers average 4-6 insecticide applications per year. Field studies were conducted in 2021 to evaluate the effects of a new Bt toxin, Cry51Aa, on the management of thrips and tarnished plant bugs in cotton. For thrips the new Bt trait was as good or better than an insecticide-based approach. The new Bt cotton required fewer insecticide applications adequately control these pests when compared to the non Bt cotton. Other experiments were conducted to evaluate the behavioral response of thrips and TPB to this new Bt trait. In choice tests thrips and TPB were found to favor the non Bt cotton over the new Bt trait Cry51Aa. Results from this study indicate that the new Bt trait Cry51Aa will be a valuable tool in controlling both thrips and tarnished plant bugs.