Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Used to Identify Genetic Variation in Ecotypes of the European Corn Borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Authors

Saowaluck Pornkulwat, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Steven R. Skoda, USDA-ARS-KBUSLIRL Screwworm Research UnitFollow
Gustave D. Thomas, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
John E. Foster, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

1998

Citation

ANNALS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, Vol. 91, no. 5 (1998), pp. 719-725.

Comments

U.S. government work.

Abstract

The European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner), has 3 morphologically indistinguishable voltinism ecotypes. Random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) was used to discriminate ecotypes of the European corn borer. Genomic DNA samples from the European corn borer were screened with a total of 120 random primers. Ten of these primers yielded 21 clear and reproducible RAPD markers after agarose gel electrophoresis. Dendrograms constructed using the Nei and Li distance matrix of the phylogenetic relationships, among and within ecotypes, of the European corn borer showed the multivoltine ecotype to be genetically separated from univoltine and bivoltine ecotypes. The dendrogram of individual European corn borers correctly classified each insect. These results provide evidence of genetic variation at the molecular level among European corn borer ecotypes. The RAPD-PCR technique proved to be a powerful tool for identifying intraspecific variation in the European corn borer.