COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR CONTROL OF INSECT INFESTATIONS IN PLANTS

• US 20120164205A1
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bei Zhang, David K. Kovalic, James A. Baum, James K. Roberts, Larry A. Gilbertson, Maolong Lu, Thomas J. Larosa, Tichafa R.I. Munyikwa, Wei Wu
• Original Assignee: Bei Zhang, David K. Kovalic, James A. Baum, James K. Roberts, Larry A. Gilbertson, Maolong Lu, Thomas J. Larosa, Tichafa R.I. Munyikwa, Wei Wu
• Inventors: Baum, James A., Gilbertson, Larry A., Kovalic, David K., LaRosa, Thomas J., Lu, Maolong, Munyikwa, Tichafa R. I., Roberts, James K., Wu, Wei, Zhang, Bei
• Granted Patent: US 9,238,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/409
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 63/23 B. thuringiensis
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 63/50 Isolated enzymes; Isolated proteins peptides A01N37/46
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 63/60 Isolated nucleic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8275 Glyphosate
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8279 for biotic stress resistance, pathogen resistance, disease resistance
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8285 for nematode resistance
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8286 for insect resistance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/146 Genetically Modified [GMO] plants, e.g. transgenic plants

Abstract

The present invention is directed to controlling pest infestation by inhibiting one or more biological functions in an invertebrate pest. The invention discloses methods and compositions for use in controlling pest infestation by feeding one or more different recombinant double stranded RNA molecules to the pest in order to achieve a reduction in pest infestation through suppression of gene expression. The invention is also directed to methods for making transgenic plants that express the double stranded RNA molecules, and to particular combinations of transgenic pesticidal agents for use in protecting plants from pest infestation.

Claims

1-45. -45. (canceled)

46. A pesticide composition comprising a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) that functions upon ingestion by a plant pest to inhibit the expression of a target sequence within said pest, wherein said composition is topically applied to a plant and provided in the diet of said pest.

47. The composition of claim 46, wherein said dsRNA is comprised in a microbe that produces said dsRNA and is applied to the plant.

48. The composition of claim 47, wherein said composition is topically applied using a spray mixer, is applied to the plant surface as matrix encapsulated RNA, or is applied as a seed coating.

49. The composition of claim 46, wherein said plant pest is a Coleopteran pest selected from the group consisting of a Diabrotica spp. pest, a Leptinotarsa spp. pest, a Tribolium spp. pest, a Anthonomous spp. pest, a Cyclocephala spp. pest, and a Polyphaga spp. pest.

50. The composition of claim 49, wherein said Diabrotica spp. pest is a corn rootworm pest selected from the group consisting of Diabrotica virgifera (Western Corn Rootworm, WCR), Diabrotica barberi (Northern Corn Rootworm, NCR), Diabrotica virgifera zeae (Mexican Corn Rootworm, MCR), Diabrotica balteata (Brazilian Corn Rootworm (BZR), Diabrotica viridula (Brazilian Corn Rootworm (BZR), Diabrotica speciosi (Brazilian Corn Rootworm (BZR)), and Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardii (Southern Corn Rootworm, SCR).

51. The composition of claim 46, wherein said composition is topically applied as a seed coating.

68. A method for delivering the composition of claim 46 to an insect, comprising exposing said insect to a diet containing said composition, or overlaying said composition on top of an insect diet and exposing said insect to said diet.

52. A method for controlling pest infestation on a plant, comprising topically applying to said plant a pesticide composition comprising a dsRNA targeting for suppression of an essential gene in said pest and providing said plant in the diet of said pest.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein said dsRNA is topically applied using a spray mixer, by expressing said dsRNA in a microbe and applying the microbe onto said plant, or by applying said dsRNA in a topical application further comprising at least a first Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein said composition comprises dsRNA encapsulated in a synthetic matrix and applied to said plant surface or a seed coating.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein said matrix is a polymer.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein said composition is topically applied as a microbe that is engineered to express said dsRNA or comprises a fermentation product from said microbe.

57. The method of claim 52, wherein said composition further comprises one or more additives selected from stickers, wetters, and UV protectants for foliar application.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein said composition comprises a granular formulation for soil application.

59. The method of claim 52, further comprising topically applying to said plant one or more Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal proteins.

60. The method of claim 52, wherein said plant comprises a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least a first Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein said Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein is selected from the group consisting of a Cry1, a Cry3, a TIC851, a CryET70, a Cry22, a binary insecticidal protein CryET33 and CryET34, a binary insecticidal protein CryET80 and CryET76, a binary insecticidal protein TIC100 and TIC101, a binary insecticidal protein PS149B1, a VIP insecticidal protein, a TIC900 or related protein, a TIC901, a TIC1201, a TIC407, a TIC417, and an insecticidal chimera thereof.

62. The method of claim 52, wherein said plant expresses a dsRNA for suppression of an essential gene in said pest.

63. A method for reducing or eliminating invertebrate pest infestation on a plant, comprising topically applying to the seed before planting a pesticidally effective amount of a pesticide composition comprising a dsRNA targeting for suppression of an essential gene in said pest.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein said pesticidally effective amount ranges from about 10 g to about 2000 g of the pesticide composition per 100 kg of weight of the seed.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein said pesticidally effective amount ranges from about 50 g to about 1000 g of the pesticide composition per 100 kg of weight of the seed.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein said pesticidally effective amount ranges from about 100 g to about 600 g of the pesticide composition per 100 kg of weight of the seed.

67. The method of claim 63, wherein said pesticidally effective amount is over about 60 g of the active ingredient of said composition per 100 kg of weight of the seed.