Bacillus thuringiensisresistant colorado potato beetle and transgenic plants: Some operational and ecological implications for deployment

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Abstract
The Colorado potato beetle is a severe pest of potatoes in the US. It has developed field resistance to almost every insecticide used against it, and is considered to be a model species for insecticide resistance. We have recently reported the selection of a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) resistant strain of beetle (Bt‐R). We have tested this strain and susceptible beetles (Bt‐S) against transgenic potato plants in 96‐h (first instars through adults) and complete development bioassays (second instars through adults). The Bt‐R strain first instars were almost as susceptible to transgenic plants as the Bt‐S strain, but second instars were significantly different from controls in longevity and weight gained (P Bt‐R beetles averaged 25% mortality over 14 days, and each of the younger instars (fourth, third and second) experienced greater mortality. The operational and ecological implications of potential Bt resistance on deployment of transgenic potato plants are discussed.