Investigations of host plant-pest interactions have rarely used plant material in which the phenotype could be linked directly to a known genotype. However, in recent years, Arabidopsis thaliana has been intensively studied by molecular biologists and, as a result, there are a large number of genetically characterised A. thaliana mutants available to the scientific community. Our preliminary la...

The diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (L), has been recorded in Malaysia since 1925. From 1941, it has been the major pest of crucifers grown in the Cameron Highlands and in the lowlands. The insect occurs in high numbers in the drier periods of the year and control has been mainly with the use of insecticides. The indiscriminate use of insecticides on DBM has led to the development o...

The diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (L.), costs the Chinese economy US$0.77 billion annually, and considerable research has focused on its biology, ecology, and management. Much of this research has been published locally and is inaccessible outside China. Since 1990 Brassica vegetable production has increased 20-fold and production practices have intensified, but losses continue to...

We compared responses to six insecticidal crystal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis by a Cry1A-resistant strain (NO-QA) and a susceptible strain (LAB-P) of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. The resistant strain showed > 100-fold cross-resistance to Cry1J and to H04, a hybrid with domains I and II of Cry1Ab and domain III or Cry1C. Cross-resistance was sixfold to Cry1Bb and threefold...

Several Brassica crops have been transformed with -endotoxin genes from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to provide resistance to the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) and other lepidopteran pests. This paper describes studies of the direct and indirect effects of Bt plants on a parasitoid of P. xylostella using Cry1Acexpressing transgenic oilseed rape (canola) as an example. The braconid wasp ...

There is a scarcity of studies concerning Plutella xylostella L. dealing with either interactions between partial plant resistance and insecticides or multitrophic interactions (with or without insecticides). Such studies are vital to allow improved understanding of possible interactions in IPM programmes and may help both to develop approaches which enhance cultural and biological controls and...

The role of glutathione S-transferase (GST, EC 2.5.1.18) in the degradation of and resistance to some insecticides of diamondback moth (DBM) larvae has been confirmed through the purification and characterization of its four isozymes from this notorious insect pest of cruciferous vegetables. Two immuno-related isozymes, GST-3 and GST-4, exhibit apparent substrate preference for 1,2-dichloro-4ni...