Method of evaluating plant protection

A method of evaluating efficacy of a protection mechanism of a protected plant, comprising:

• (a) exposing a first and a second population of immature insects to the protected plant such that the protected plant is at least contacted thereby, wherein the immature insects belonging to an insect species having a plurality of instars and wherein the exposure extends for a selected time period corresponding to a sublethal exposure of each immature insect population to the protected plant, said time period being set so that more than 50% of the insects do not die during the time period and so that the time period expires before 90% of each insect population leaves the larval or nymphal development stage;
• (b) halting the exposure of both immature insect populations to the protected plant following the selected time period and collecting the immature insects of each population;
• (c) measuring a physical characteristic of at least some of the collected insects of each of the first and second insect larval populations;
• (d) statistically analyzing the measured physical characteristics for the insects of each of the first and second insect populations;
• and
• (e) comparing the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the first insect population to the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the second insect population so as to determine a difference in efficacy of the protection mechanism of the protected plant between the insect larval populations,
• wherein said statistical analysis comprises systematically comparing a distribution of said collected insects of said first insect population with a corresponding distribution of collected insects of said second insect population.

A method of evaluating efficacy of a protection mechanism of a protected plant, comprising:

• (a) exposing a first population of an immature insect to a first specimen of the protected plant having a protection mechanism and a second population of the immature insect to a second specimen of the protected plant also having the protection mechanism, the immature insect belonging to an insect species having a plurality of instars and the first and second populations being exposed to first and second specimens of the protected plant such that the respective specimen is at least contacted thereby, the exposure extending for a selected time period corresponding to a sublethal exposure of each immature insect population to the respective specimen of the protected plant, said time period being set so that more than 50% of the insects do not die during the time period and so that the time period expires before 90% of each insect population leaves the larval or nymphal development stage;
• (b) halting the exposure of both immature insect populations to the respective specimen of the protected plant following the selected time period and collecting immature insects of each population;
• (c) measuring a physical characteristic of at least some of the collected immature insects of each of the first and second insect populations;
• (d) statistically analyzing the measured physical characteristics for the collected immature insects of each of the first and second insect populations;
• and
• (e) comparing the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the first immature insect population to the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the second immature insect population so as to determine a difference in efficacy of the protection mechanism between the specimens of the protected plant,
• wherein said statistical analysis comprises systematically comparing a distribution of said collected insects of said first insect population with a corresponding distribution of collected insects of said second insect population.

A method of evaluating efficacy of a protection mechanism of a protected plant, comprising:

• (a) exposing a first population of an immature insect to a first sample of the protected plant having a first dosage of a protection mechanism and a second population of the immature insect to a second sample of the protected plant having a second dosage of the protection mechanism, the first dosage being different from the second dosage and the immature insect belonging to an insect species having a plurality of instars, the first and second populations being exposed to first and second samples of the protected plant such that the respective sample is at least contacted thereby, the exposure extending for a selected time period corresponding to a sublethal exposure of each insect population to the respective sample of the protected plant, said time period being set so that more than 50% of the insects do not die during the time period and so that the time period expires before 90% of each insect population leaves the larval or nymphal development stage;
• (b) halting the exposure of both insect populations to the respective sample of the protected plant following the selected time period and collecting the insects of each population;
• (c) measuring a physical characteristic of at least some collected insects of each of the first and second insect populations;
• (d) statistically analyzing the measured physical characteristics for the collected insects of each of the first and second insect populations;
• and
• (e) comparing the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the first insect population to the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the second insect population so as to determine a difference in efficacy between the dosages of the protection mechanism of the protected plant,
• wherein said statistical analysis comprises systematically comparing a distribution of said collected insects of said first insect population with a corresponding distribution of collected insects of said second insect population.

A method of evaluating efficacies of protection mechanisms of a first protected plant and a second protected plant, comprising:

• (a) exposing a first population of an immature insect to a sample of a first protected plant having a first protection mechanism and exposing a second population of the insect to a sample of a second protected plant having a second protection mechanism, wherein said first protection mechanism is different from said second protection mechanism and wherein said immature insect belongs to an insect species having a plurality of instars, wherein said first and second populations are exposed to said samples of said first and second protected plants, respectively, such that the respective sample is at least contacted thereby, the exposure extending for a selected time period corresponding to a sublethal exposure of each insect population to the respective sample of the protected plant, said time period being set so that more than 50% of the insects do not die during the time period and so that the time period expires before 90% of each insect population leaves the larval or nymphal development stage;
• (b) halting the exposure of both insect populations to the respective sample of the protected plant following the selected time period and collecting the insects of each population;
• (c) measuring a physical characteristic of at least some collected insects of each of the first and second insect populations;
• (d) statistically analyzing the measured physical characteristics for the collected insects of each of the first and second insect populations;
• and
• (e) comparing the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the first insect population to the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the second insect population so as to determine a difference in efficacy between the first and second protection mechanisms of the protected plant,
• wherein said statistical analysis comprises systematically comparing a distribution of said collected insects of said first insect population with a corresponding distribution of collected insects of said second insect population.

A method of evaluating efficacies of protection mechanisms of a first protected plant, a second protected plant, and a third protected plant comprising:

• (a) exposing a first population of an immature insect to a first sample of the protected plant having a first protection mechanism, a second population of the immature insect to a second sample of the protected plant having a second protection mechanism, and a third population of the immature insect to a third sample of the protected plant having both of said first and second protection mechanisms, wherein said first protection mechanism is different from said second protection mechanism and said insect population is of an insect species having a plurality of instars, wherein said first, second, and third populations are exposed to said samples of said first, second, and third protected plant, respectively, such that the respective sample is at least contacted thereby, wherein the exposure extends for a selected time period that corresponds to a sublethal exposure of each insect population to the respective sample of the protected plant, said time period being set so that more than 50% of the insects do not die during the time period and so that the time period expires before 90% of each insect population leaves the larval or nymphal development stage;
• (b) halting the exposure of each insect population to the respective sample of the protected plant following the selected time period and collecting at least some insects of each population;
• (c) measuring a physical characteristic of at least some collected insects of each of the first, second, and third insect populations;
• (d) statistically analyzing the measured physical characteristics for insects of each of the first, second, and third insect populations;
• and
• (e) comparing the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the third insect population to each of the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the first and second insect populations so as to determine the effect of stacking the first protection mechanism and the second protection mechanism on the efficacies of the protection mechanisms,
• wherein said statistical analysis comprises systematically comparing distributions of said collected insects of said first, second, and third insect populations.

A method of evaluating efficacy of a protection mechanism of a protected plant having a protection mechanism comprising:

• (a) exposing a population of a first immature insect and a population of a second immature insect to the protected plant such that the protected plant is at least contacted thereby, wherein the first immature insect belongs to a species having a plurality of instars and the second immature insect belongs to a different species having a plurality of instars, wherein the exposure extends for a selected time period corresponding to a sublethal exposure of each population to the protected plant, said time period being set so that more than 50% of the insects do not die during the time period and so that the time period expires before 90% of each insect population leaves the larval or nymphal development stage;
• (b) halting the exposure of both populations to the protected plant following the selected time period and collecting at least some insects of each population;
• (c) measuring a physical characteristic of at least some of the collected insects of each population;
• (d) statistically analyzing the measured physical characteristics;
• and
• (e) comparing the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the population of the first immature insect to the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the population of the second immature insect so as to determine a difference in efficacy of the protection mechanism of the protected plant between the first and second immature insect,
• wherein said statistical analysis comprises systematically comparing a distribution of said collected insects of said first insect population with a corresponding distribution of collected insects of said second insect population.

A method of evaluating efficacy of a protection mechanism of a protected plant, comprising:

• (a) exposing a population of a first immature insect to a first specimen of the protected plant having a protection mechanism and a population of a second immature insect to a second specimen of the protected plant also having the protection mechanism, each immature insect belonging to an insect species having a plurality of instars and the first immature insect belonging to a different insect species than the second immature insect, the populations of the first and second immature insect being exposed to the respective specimen of the protected plant such that the respective specimen is at least contacted thereby, the exposure extending for a selected time period corresponding to a sublethal exposure of each population of immature insect to the respective specimen of the protected plant, said time period being set so that more than 50% of the insects do not die during the time period and so that the time period expires before 90% of each insect population leaves the larval or nymphal development stage;
• (b) halting the exposure of both populations of immature insect to the respective specimen of the protected plant following the selected time period and collecting at least some immature insects of each population;
• (c) measuring a physical characteristic of at least some collected immature insects of each of the populations of the immature insect;
• (d) statistically analyzing the measured physical characteristics;
• and
• (e) comparing the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the population of the first immature insect to the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the population of the second immature insect so as to determine a difference in efficacy of the protection mechanism of the protected plant between the first and second immature insect and between the specimens of the protected plant,
• wherein said statistical analysis comprises systematically comparing a distribution of said collected insects of said first insect population with a corresponding distribution of collected insects of said second insect population.

A method of evaluating an insect population with respect to an effect thereon of a protected plant having a protection mechanism, comprising:

• (a) exposing a first generation population of immature insect belonging to a species having a plurality of instars to the protected plant such that the protected plant is at least contacted thereby, the exposure extending for a first selected time period, and collecting at least some of the immature insects, said first selected time period being set so that more than 50% of the insects of the first generation population do not die during the time period and so that the time period expires before 90% of the first generation population leaves the larval or nymphal development stage;
• (b) measuring a physical characteristic of at least some of the collected insects of the first generation population;
• (c) statistically analyzing the measured physical characteristics so as to determine efficacy of the protection mechanism of the protected plant with respect to the first generation population of immature insect;
• (d) allowing the first generation population of immature insects to develop into adult insect and then intermating adult insects within the adult insect population so as to form a second generation population of immature insects;
• (e) exposing the second generation population of immature insects to the protected plant such that the protected plant is at least contacted thereby, the exposure extending for a second selected time period, and collecting at least some immature insects following the second selected time period, said second selected time period being set so that more than 50% of the insects of the second generation population do not die during the time period and so that the time period expires before 90% of the second generation population leaves the larval or nymphal development stage;
• (f) measuring a physical characteristic of at least some collected immature insects in the second generation population;
• (g) statistically analyzing the measured physical characteristics for at least some of the collected insects so as to determine efficacy of the protection mechanism of the protected plant with respect to the second generation population of immature insects;
• and
• (h) comparing the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the second generation population of immature insects to the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the first generation population of immature insects so as to determine a change in susceptibility of the insects to the protection mechanism of the protected plant between the first and second generation populations,
• wherein said statistical analysis comprises systematically comparing a distribution of said collected insects of said first generation population with a corresponding distribution of collected insects of said second generation population.

A method of evaluating an insect population with respect to an effect thereon of a protected plant having a protection mechanism, comprising:

• (a) exposing a field population of immature insect belonging to an insect species having a plurality of instars to the protected plant such that the protected plant is at least contacted thereby, the exposure extending for a first selected time period, said first selected time period being set so that more than 50% of the insects do not die during the time period and so that the time period expires before 90% of the field population leaves the larval or nymphal development stage;
• (b) collecting a first sample portion of the field population of immature insect following the first selected time period;
• (c) measuring a physical characteristic of immature insects in the first sample portion;
• (d) statistically analyzing the measured physical characteristics so as to determine efficacy of the protection mechanism of the protected plant with respect to the first sample portion of insects;
• (e) collecting a second sample portion of the field population of insects following a second selected time period, the second selected time period being greater than the first selected time period;
• (f) measuring a physical characteristic of each insect in the second sample portion;
• (g) statistically analyzing the measured physical characteristics so as to determine efficacy of the protection mechanism of the protected plant with respect to the second sample portion of insects;
• and
• (h) comparing the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the second sample portion of insects to the statistically analyzed measured physical characteristics of the first sample portion of insects so as to determine a change in susceptibility of the insects to the protection mechanism of the protected plant between the first and second sample portions in relation to the respective selected time period,
• wherein said statistical analysis comprises systematically comparing a distribution of said collected insects of said first sample portion with a corresponding distribution of collected insects of said second sample portion.