Maize Endochitinase Expression in Response to Fall Armyworm Herbivory

A large percentage of crop loss is due to insect damage, especially caterpillar damage. Plant chitinases are considered excellent candidates combat these insects since they can degrade chitin in peritrophic matrix (PM), an important protective structure midgut. Compared chemical insecticides, could improve host plant resistance and be both economically environmentally advantageous. The focus this research was find chitinase that by effectively limiting Five classes endochitinase (I-V) genes were characterized the maize genome, we isolated cloned four (chitinase A, B, I, PRm3) present two (Zea mays L.) inbred lines Mp708 Tx601, with different levels pests. We also investigated expression response fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda, FAW) attack. results indicated transcript abundance enzymatic activity increased FAW feeding mechanical wounding. Furthermore, retained inside midgut detected food bolus frass. When examined under scanning electron microscopy, PMs from Tx601-fed caterpillars showed structural damage when compared diet controls. Analysis after proteomic analysis leaf trichomes inbreds implicated PRm3 found Tx601 as a potential insecticidal protein.