Effect of soybean varieties on survival and fecundity of western corn rootworm

The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is a major pest of corn (Zea mays L.) in North America and has evolved resistance to crop rotation by ovipositing in alternate crops such as soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Through experiments with plants grown in the greenhouse and the field, we tested whether soybeans with resistance to the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), affected survival, fecundity, and consumption of soybean for D. v. virgifera. Soybean varieties tested included those types resistant to A. glycines (Rag1 and rag1/rag3) and a susceptible near isoline of the Rag1 variety. Females were provided with a diet of corn tissue for 4 d after which they were fed a diet of tissue from one of three soybean varieties for 4 d, starved for 4 d, or fed corn tissue. When fed greenhouse grown plants, strains differed significantly in survival and consumption, but consumption did not differ by variety of soybean. Diet treatment only affected fecundity; individuals fed corn continuously had greater fecundity than those individuals fed soybeans. In the experiment with plants grown in the field, leaf consumption differed among strains and individuals fed corn continuously had greater fecundity than the other treatments. Soybean varieties with Rag1 and rag1/rag3 resistance to A. glycines did not appear to affect the fitness of D. v. virgifera. Thus, planting of these A. glycines-resistant soybean varieties should not directly affect the spread of rotation-resistant D. v. virgifera.