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10-Minute Paper

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

P-IE: IPM - Field Crops 1

Bt-Eucalyptus: A novel tool in lepidopteran pest management in eucalyptus plantations in Brazil

Wednesday, November 8, 2023
8:00 AM – 8:12 AM ET
Location: Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Maryland 5-6
In-Person
Lepidopteran defoliator pests pose an increasing threat to eucalyptus plantations in Brazil, and can cause a substantial loss of up to 30% reduction in annual yield with just a single instance of defoliation. Among the native lepidopteran pests of Eucalyptus, Thyrinteina arnobia (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), commonly known as the brown looper, is the primary target of control efforts. Its high reproduction rate on various plant hosts, voracious appetite, and ability to disperse make it particularly effective in generating outbreaks, especially during periods of drought when the population of natural enemies tends to decrease.

In a groundbreaking initiative, FuturaGene, the Biotech Division of Suzano, has developed an insect-resistant eucalyptus variety that expresses three Bacillus thuringiensis Cry pesticidal proteins specifically targeting lepidopteran insect pests. The Bt-Eucalyptus was recently approved for commercial use by the Brazilian National Technical Commission of Biosafety (CTNBio). Several years of biosafety studies indicate that the Bt-Eucalyptus is safe for humans, animals, and the environment, and exhibits similar field behavior to conventional eucalyptus, except for the introduced trait.

We present current data on this pioneering biotechnological commercial insect-resistant woody species and will also explore the benefits of this new tool for managing pests in eucalyptus plantations.