Effects of two protease inhibitors on larvae of Argentine stem weevil and clover root weevil

Abstract

Protease inhibitors (PIs) cause mortality in a range of insects and transgenic plants expressing PIs have been protected against pest attack The effects of feeding two purified PIs to larvae of Argentine stem weevil (Listronotus bonariensis) and clover root weevil (Sitona lepidus) were investigated in laboratory bioassays The serine PI aprotinin and the cysteine PI E64 were administered continuously in artificial diets to neonate or oneweekold larvae Aprotinin had no effect on clover root weevil larvae but significantly inhibited growth of Argentine stem weevil larvae E64 caused significant mortality in clover root weevil larvae and significant reductions in growth of Argentine stem weevil larvae