2007 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) To develop a monoclonal antibody-based diagnostic kit to identify and distinguish between early stage larvae of the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens and the bollworm, Helicoverpa zea. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Only slight, often unreliable morphological characters can distinguish between the larvae of the tobacco budworm and the bollworm. USDA, ARS, SIMRU will collect these larvae from various hosts during the entire growing season. These samples will be frozen in liquid Nitrogen and shipped to Kansas state University. Researchers at KSU will develop monoclonal antibodies and a subsequent ELISA kit to distinguish between the larvae of the species. In addition, USDA, ARS, SIMRU will verify the specificity of the antibodies using a PCR-SNP technique. 3.Progress Report This report serves to document research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between Kansas State University and ARS. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the in-house project 6402-22000-047-00D, "Resistance Management and Injury Potential of Lepidopterous Pests to Transgenic Cottons.” A technique was developed to differentiate morphologically similar immature stages of noctuid species, i.e. Heliothis virescens and Helicoverpa zea. This technique used near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to distinguish the two species at the egg stage and less than 3rd instar larval stage with 95% accuracy. The NIRS technique could be an important tool for laboratory research of these pests. This agreement was monitored with a conference call and a meeting at the Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting.