Relationship Between Leaf C/N Ratio and Insecticidal Protein Expression in Bt Cotton as Affected by High Temperature and N Rate

Expression of insecticidal protein for transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis （Bt） cotton is unstable and related to nitrogen metabolism. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between leaf carbon nitrogen ratio （C/N） and insecticidal efficacy of two Bt cotton cultivars. C/N ratio and Bt protein content were both measured at peak square period and peak boll period respectively under 5-7 d high temperature and different nitrogen fertilizer rates on the Yangzhou University Farm and the Ludong Cotton Farm, China. All plants were grown in field. The results showed that the C/N ratio enhanced slightly and the Bt protein content remained stable at peak square period, but significant increases for the C/N ratio and decreases markedly for the leaf Bt protein concentration were detected at the peak boll period. The similar patterns at the two growth periods were found for the leaf C/N ratio and Bt protein content by different N fertilizer treatments. When nitrogen rate was from 0 to 600 kg ha-l, the C/N ratio was reduced by 0.017 and 0.006 for Sikang 1 and Sikang 3 at peak square period, compared to the 1.350 to 1.143 reduction for Sikang 1 and Sikang 3 at peak boll period, respectively. Correspondingly, the leaf Bt protein contents were bolstered by 2.6-11.8 and 26.9-36.9% at the two different growth periods, respectively. The results suggested that enhanced C/N ratio by high temperature and nitrogen application may result in the reduction of inseetiocidal efficacy in Bt cotton, especially in peak boll period.

Indoor Efficacy Experiment of 13 Insecticides against Tea Geometrid (Ectropis Oblique Hypulina Wehrli)

[Objective]The paper was to study indoor efficacy of 13 insecticides against tea geometrid（Ectropis Oblique Hypulina Wehrli）.[Method]Thirteen insecticides were sprayed onto indoor hydroponic young tea shoots with infesting third instar larvae of tea geometrid reared in the laboratory to simulate the actual condition in the tea garden,and their efficacy was studied.[Result]The control efficacies of 60 g/L spinetoram SC 3 000 times dilution,3% emamectin benzoate ME 15 000 times dilution,240 g/L methoxyfenozide SC 5 000 times dilution and 240 g/L metaflumizone SC 1 500 times dilution were all greater than 91% after spraying for 7d.The control efficacy of 20%tebufenozide SC 1 000 times dilution remained 86.48%.Although the control efficacy of 20%flubendiamide WDG 6 000 times dilution was slightly lower than the above five treatments,the dry weight of faeces was the second least,and its protection effect on leaves was only second to spinetoram.Therefore,60g/L spinetoram SC,3% emamectin benzoate ME,240 g/L methoxyfenozide SC,240 g/L metaflumizone SC,20% tebufenozide SC and 20% flubendiamide WDG were ideal insecticides that could be used rotationally to control tea geometrid in tea garden.The control efficacy of 10% bifenthrin EC 3 000 times dilution was only 23%,so the insecticide was not suitable for control against the pest.[Conclusion]The paper proposed an alternate insecticide for field control against tea geometrid.