Compositions and methods for control of insect infestations in plants

• US 9,238,822 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC (Bayer AG)
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Zheng, Li
• Application Number:
  US13/226,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20120164205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 800/285
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. A method for controlling Western corn rootworm infestation on a plant, comprising topically applying to said plant a pesticide composition comprising a dsRNA targeting for suppression an essential gene in said Western corn rootworm and at least a second pesticidal agent with a different mode of action for controlling said Western corn rootworm, wherein said second pesticidal agent comprises a Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein, and providing said plant in the diet of said Western corn rootworm.

2. The method of claim 1, 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 composition that further comprises said Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said composition comprises dsRNA encapsulated in a synthetic matrix and applied to said plant surface or a seed coating.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said matrix is a polymer.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said composition is topically applied as a microbe that is engineered to express said dsRNA or comprises a fermentation product from said microbe.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said composition further comprises one or more additives selected from stickers, welters, and UV protectants for foliar application.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said composition comprises a granular formulation for soil application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said plant comprises a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least a first Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein is selected from the group consisting of 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.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said plant expresses a dsRNA for suppression of an essential gene in said Western corn rootworm.

11. A method for reducing or eliminating Western corn rootworm 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 an essential gene in said Western corn rootworm and at least a second pesticidal agent with a different mode of action for controlling said Western corn rootworm, wherein said second pesticidal agent comprises a Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein.

12. The method of claim 11, 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.

13. The method of claim 12, 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.

14. The method of claim 13, 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.

15. The method of claim 11, 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.

16. A method for delivering a pesticide composition comprising a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) that functions upon ingestion by a Western corn rootworm to inhibit the expression of a target sequence within said Western corn rootworm and at least a second pesticidal agent with a different mode of action for controlling said Western corn rootworm, wherein said second pesticidal agent comprises a Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein, comprising exposing said Western corn rootworm to a diet containing said composition, or overlaying said composition on top of a Western corn rootworm diet and exposing said Western corn rootworm to said diet.

17. A method for controlling Western corn rootworm infestation on a plant, comprising topically applying to said plant a pesticide composition comprising a dsRNA targeting for suppression an essential gene in said Western corn rootworm and providing said plant in the diet of said Western corn rootworm, wherein the plant comprises a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least a first Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein for controlling said Western corn rootworm.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein is selected from the group consisting of 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.