Document Detail


Effects of insecticide-treated and Lepidopteran-active Bt transgenic sweet corn on the abundance and diversity of arthropods.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18284751     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
A field study was conducted over 2 yr to determine the effects of transgenic sweet corn containing a gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) on the diversity and abundance of nontarget arthropods. The Bt hybrid (expressing Cry1Ab endotoxin for lepidopteran control) was compared with near-isogenic non-Bt and Bt hybrids treated with a foliar insecticide and with a near-isogenic non-Bt hybrid without insecticides. Plant inspections, sticky cards, and pitfall traps were used to sample a total of 573,672 arthropods, representing 128 taxonomic groups in 95 families and 18 orders. Overall biodiversity and community-level responses were not significantly affected by the transgenic hybrid. The Bt hybrid also had no significant adverse effects on population densities of specific nontarget herbivores, decomposers, and natural enemies enumerated at the family level during the crop cycle. As expected, the insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin had broad negative impacts on the abundance of many nontarget arthropods. One insecticide application in the Bt plots reduced the overall abundance of the natural enemy community by 21-48%. Five applications in the non-Bt plots reduced natural enemy communities by 33-70%. Nontarget communities affected in the insecticide-treated Bt plots exhibited some recovery, but communities exposed to five applications showed no trends toward recovery during the crop cycle. This study clearly showed that the nontarget effects of Bt transgenic sweet corn on natural enemies and other arthropods were minimal and far less than the community-level disruptions caused by lambda-cyhalothrin.
Authors:
Robyn Rose; Galen P Dively
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Environmental entomology     Volume:  36     ISSN:  0046-225X     ISO Abbreviation:  Environ. Entomol.     Publication Date:  2007 Oct 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-02-20     Completed Date:  2008-04-22     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7502320     Medline TA:  Environ Entomol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1254-68     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Biotechnology Regulatory Services, USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Unit 147, 4700 River Rd., Riverdale, MD 20737, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Arthropods*
Bacterial Proteins* / metabolism
Bacterial Toxins* / metabolism
Biodiversity*
Endotoxins* / metabolism
Hemolysin Proteins* / metabolism
Insecticides*
Lepidoptera
Nitriles
Plants, Genetically Modified
Population Density
Pyrethrins
Zea mays / genetics,  metabolism*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Bacterial Proteins; 0/Bacterial Toxins; 0/Endotoxins; 0/Hemolysin Proteins; 0/Insecticides; 0/Nitriles; 0/Pyrethrins; 0/insecticidal crystal protein, Bacillus Thuringiensis; 68085-85-8/cyhalothrin

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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