Bruchid resistance of transgenic azuki bean expressing seed α‐amylase inhibitor of common bean

Various species of bruchid beetles including Callosobruchus chinensis, C. maculatus and C. analis cause post‐harvest damage of azuki bean seeds, an important East Asian grain legume. The α‐amylase in the midguts of these insects is inhibited by the α‐amylase inhibitor (αAI) present in common bean seeds. Transformation of azuki bean with the αAI gene driven by the promoter of phytohemagglutinin results in high levels of αAI in the seeds and the complete block of bruchid development on the seeds. Zabrotes subfasciatus, a South and Central American bruchid that is a storage pest of common bean, develops normally on the transgenic azuki bean.