Busseola fusca raw transcriptome reads. Busseola fusca

Genetically modified crops attracted interest globally when use of these crops showed significant increases in yield and production. However, development of resistance by pests threatens further successes of these crops. Busseola fusca (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a major insect pest in sub-Saharan Africa, has developed high levels of resistance to the Cry1Ab toxin expressed in Bt maize. This field-developed resistance is non-recessive. Limited population genetic and phylogeography data are available for this and other African insects in general. Statistical analysis results on partial mitochondrial genes (COI and cytb) sequences indicated that South African B. fusca populations reveal low genetic diversity which together with non-recessive resistance inheritance and high dispersal capabilities, might suggest rapid resistance development in others, still susceptible B. fusca populations. The aim of this research was to conduct a genetic study of South African B. fusca to: i) review Cry toxin resistance mechanisms reflected by B. fusca transcriptome analysis and identify the most common mechanism from among those reported for lepidopteran pests; ii) sequencing, assembly and annotation of B. fusca transcriptome to detect potential, genome encoded, Cry toxin recognition proteins; iii) using Next-Generation Sequencing results to determine if potential Cry resistance genes are differentially expressed in the Bt-challenged group of B. fusca neonate larvae (collected from non-Bt maize).