Effect of herbicides on the emergence of Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in transgenic Bt maize

Abstract

etically modified organisms (GMOs) are widespread in Brazil, especially those related to resistance to herbicides and insects. This work aimed to evaluate herbicides' effect on the emergence of maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in different maize genotypes. The experimental design was a 3 × 5 factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Genotypes of transgenic maize, Herculex® (TC1507) and PowerCore® (MON89034 × TC1507 × NK603) and an Isohybrid (non-transgenic) were used. The herbicides were Atrazine, Atrazine + Nicosulfuron, Ammonium Glufosinate, Nicosulfuron and a control treatment without herbicide application. The emergence of S. zeamais was observed in grains from each plot for 100 days, with 300 grams of maize grains. The Isohybrid was the most attractive to S. zeamais when no herbicide was applied. The application of Ammonium Glufosinate increased S. zeamais preference for Herculex® and Nicosulfuron for PowerCore®. The insertion of an exogenous gene and the application of herbicides in maize plants can alter components of the insect-plant interaction, changing the attractiveness to S. zeamais.