Obdulia Segura Ph.D. Student, Entomology   Email: obdulia@unlserve.unl.edu

Phylogenetic analysis of Diabrotica virgifera inferred from COI mitochondrial DNA sequences

Major Advisor: Lance Meinke (Entomology)

Diabrotica virgifera has its origin in Mexico, in association with corn. However, it has dispersed with this crop into the United States and Europe. In the US it is considered a key pest of corn since 1912. Different control methods have been used to reduce the insect population for more than 50 years. Long terms use of those methods has caused changes in resistance to some insecticides (methyl parathion and carbaryl in Nebraska) and novel host acceptance (e.g., soybean in Illinois). These populations may be dispersing to others areas of the Corn Belt, reducing insecticide and crop rotation effectivity

Genetic analysis can provide measures of phylogenetic divergence among those populations.We examine how genetic variation is distributed spatially within the geographical range of Diabrotica virgifera (WCR) . We collected D. virgifera populations along its distribution area in 2001, and 2002. The insects were classified by morpholoy in the field and brought o the lab for genetic analysis. A fragment of 1300bp of the COI mitochondrial gene was sequenced for two individuals from each population that span the geographical distribution of this species in North America.