Genetic Diversity and Genetic Structure in Bollworm Populations

Previous population genetics studies of bollworm in the USA using allozymes and microsatellites indicated moderate to high genetic diversity, but no genetic structure in bollworm populations collected from various sites in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Texas.  Reports of “field-evolved” resistance to Bt crops in various geographical locations may indicate that bollworm populations may be responding to selection on Bt crops with sub-lethal concentrations of toxins and there may some genetic substructuring in populations due to selection.  A set of 96 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were used to analyze bollworm populations collected from New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia collected over three year period starting in 2015.  Various population genetic parameters were estimated using the SNP data to evaluate genetic diversity and genetic structure of bollworm populations in the USA.