Comparing Populations of Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Regions With and Without a History of Injury to Cry3 Corn

Transgenic corn expressing insecticidal proteins derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is an important pest management tool. Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, is a key pest of corn in the midwestern United States that has developed field-evolved resistance to all available Bt traits. The first Bt trait to be commercialized for management of rootworm was Cry3Bb1 in 2003, and field-evolved resistance appeared in 2009. In this study, we examined fields in counties where greater-than-expected injury to Cry3 (Cry3Bb1 or mCry3A) corn roots (>1 node) had previously been reported (problem counties) and counties where injury had not been reported (non-problem counties). Four to eight fields were sampled per county in 2015, 2016, and 2017 to quantify rootworm abundance, root injury, Cry3Bb1resistance, and rootworm management strategies. Rootworm abundance, root injury, and resistance to Cry3Bb1 did not differ between county types. Management tactics differed between county types, with problem counties growing more corn, using more soil insecticide, and growing more Cry34/35Ab1 corn. Additionally, a comparison of root injury to Bt and non-Bt corn within fields indicated that farmers derived an economic benefit from planting Bt corn to manage corn rootworm. Our results suggest that rootworm populations are similar between problem and non-problem counties in Iowa due to similar levels of selection pressure on Cry3 corn, but problem county fields have applied more management tactics due to previous rootworm issues in the area.