Assessing the effects of Bt maize on the non-target pest Rhopalosiphum maidis by demographic and life-history measurement endpoints

Abstract The most commercialized Bt maize plants in Europe were transformed with genes which express a truncated form of the insecticidal delta-endotoxin (Cry1Ab) from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) specifically against Lepidoptera. Studies on the effect of transgenic maize on non-target arthropods have mainly converged on beneficial insects. However, considering the worldwide extensive cultivation of Bt maize, an increased availability of information on their possible impact on non-target pests is also required. In this study, the impact of Bt-maize on the non-target corn leaf aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis, was examined by comparing biological traits and demographic parameters of two generations of aphids reared on transgenic maize with those on untransformed near-isogenic plants. Furthermore, free and bound phenolics content on transgenic and near-isogenic plants were measured. Here we show an increased performance of the second generation of R. maidis on Bt-maize that could be attributable to indirect effects, such as the reduction of defense against pests due to unintended changes in plant characteristics caused by the insertion of the transgene. Indeed, the comparison of Bt-maize with its corresponding near-isogenic line strongly suggests that the transformation could have induced adverse effects on the biosynthesis and accumulation of free phenolic compounds. In conclusion, even though there is adequate evidence that aphids performed better on Bt-maize than on non-Bt plants, aphid economic damage has not been reported in commercial Bt corn fields in comparison to non-Bt corn fields. Nevertheless, Bt-maize plants can be more easily exploited by R. maidis, possibly due to a lower level of secondary metabolites present in their leaves. The recognition of this mechanism increases our knowledge concerning how insect-resistant genetically modified plants impact on non-target arthropods communities, including tritrophic web interactions, and can help support a sustainable use of genetically modified crops.

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Optimisation of qualitative and semi-quantitative detection of genetically modified crops by PCR

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis ◽

10.11118/actaun200957050313 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 57 (5) ◽

pp. 313-318

Author(s):

Tomáš Vyhnánek ◽

Pavel Hanáček

Keyword(s):

Quantitative Pcr ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

Genetically Modified Crops ◽

Quantitative Detection ◽

Isogenic Line ◽

Maize Genome ◽

Bt Maize ◽

Qualitative Detection ◽

Maize Mon810 ◽

Semi Quantitative Pcr

For qualitative and semi-quantitative detection of genetically modified crops we selected the detection of the frequently used promoter 35S CaMV. To optimise the method we used two commercially available genotypes of maize from the company Monsanto (USA), i.e. the transgenic hybrid Bt-maize line MON810 and a genetically non-modified control (isogenic line to MON810). We tested the primers and PCR programmes described by Greiner et al. (2005) and Hernandéz et al. (2005). When applying PCR methods of detection of Bt-maize the first step was to optimise the protocol for the detection of the maize genome and detection of the specific sites of genetically modified MON810 maize. For detection of the maize genome we selected the primers IVR1-F and IVR1-R (invertase gene) which verify the presence of the maize genome by a 226 bp product. For qualitative detection of the insert of Bt-maize MON810 the primer pairs VW01/VW03 (Greiner et al., 2005) and BT03/BT04 (Hernandéz et al., 2005) were used to detect the 35S CaMV promoter. Products of the size 178 bp and 280 bp, respectively, verify its presence. Based on the results of qualitative PCR we selected the primers VW01/VW03 for semi-quantitative detection of the amount of DNA of Bt-maize. For semi-quantitative PCR we have chosen sampling of the amplification product in the 30th cycle of the PCR reaction. In the genetically unmodified control a detection limit of 1% of admixture of Bt-maize was determined when using semi-quantitative PCR. The same primers as for semi-quantitative PCR were also used for multiplex PCR but with half the concentration of primers for standard PCR. This protocol however will have to be further optimised. The presented results introduce PCR methods for qualitative and semi-quantitative detection of DNA of the genetically modified Bt-maize MON810 which can also be used for other GM crops containing the 35S CaMV promoter. It could be suitable to use these methods for the qualitative detection and/or for screening analyses of the detection of successfulness of transformation experiments.

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Increasing maize seed weight by enhancing the cytoplasmic ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase activity in transgenic maize plants

Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) ◽

10.1007/s11240-006-9173-4 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 88 (1) ◽

pp. 83-92 ◽

Cited By ~ 63

Author(s):

Zhangying Wang ◽

Xiaoping Chen ◽

Jianhua Wang ◽

Tingsong Liu ◽

Yan Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Seed Weight ◽

Transgenic Maize ◽

Maize Seed ◽

Maize Plants ◽

Adp Glucose Pyrophosphorylase

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Consequences for Protaphorura armata (Collembola: Onychiuridae) following exposure to genetically modified Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize and non-Bt maize

Environmental Pollution ◽

10.1016/j.envpol.2005.10.008 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 142 (2) ◽

pp. 212-216 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Lars-Henrik Heckmann ◽

Bryan S. Griffiths ◽

Sandra Caul ◽

Jacqueline Thompson ◽

Marianne Pusztai-Carey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

Bt Maize ◽

Protaphorura Armata

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Comparison of the Level of Damage bySpodoptera frugiperda(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Genetically-Modified and Conventional Maize Plants in Northern Mexico

Southwestern Entomologist ◽

10.3958/059.040.0115 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

pp. 171-178 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Luis A. Aguirre ◽

Agustín Hernández ◽

Mariano Flores ◽

Ricardo Pérez-Zubiri ◽

Ernesto Cerna ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetically Modified ◽

Northern Mexico ◽

Maize Plants ◽

Lepidoptera Noctuidae

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A three generation study with genetically modified Bt corn in rats: Biochemical and histopathological investigation

Food and Chemical Toxicology ◽

10.1016/j.fct.2007.11.016 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 46 (3) ◽

pp. 1164-1170 ◽

Cited By ~ 49

Author(s):

Aysun Kılıç ◽

M. Turan Akay

Keyword(s):

Genetically Modified ◽

Bt Corn ◽

Histopathological Investigation

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Maize Plants Infestation by Fusarium spp. and Deoxynivalenol in Genetically Modified Corn Hybrid and Traditional Maize Cultivars

Polish Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.33073/pjm-2011-045 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 60 (4) ◽

pp. 317-321 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

MAREK SELWET

Keyword(s):

European Corn Borer ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

Pathogenic Fungi ◽

Genetically Modified Maize ◽

Corn Borer ◽

Maize Cultivars ◽

Maize Plants ◽

Maize Cob ◽

Grain Contamination ◽

Mon 810

The objective of the performed investigations was to isolate pathogenic fungi from contaminated maize cobs, to assess the appearance of maize cob fusariosis and to determine grain contamination with deoxynivalenol in the cultivation of genetically modified maize containing a gene resistance against European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn) as well as selected non-modified cultivars. The plant material comprised the following genetically modified maize cultivar: DKC 3421 YG (MON 810) and non-modified cultivars obtained from Smolice Plant Breeding Ltd., IHAR Group: Junak (FAO 210-220), Prosna (FAO 220), SMH (FAO 230), Baca (FAO 220). Prior to harvesting, the occurrence of maize cob fusariosis was determined in the 89 (BBCH) developmental ripening stage. Microbiological assessment was carried out on grains selected from cobs characterized by various pathological symptoms. In 2008, a total of 133 isolates was obtained from the examined samples of infected maize plants, of which 51 isolates were species-identified, while in 2009, the total of 123 isolates were determined, of which 63 were species-identified. In both experimental years, the majority of isolates contained fungi from the Fusarium genus. The performed analysis of mean levels of cob contamination by fusarioses revealed that DKC 3421 YG (MON 810) and SMH (FAO 230) cultivars showed the smallest levels of contamination as well as the lowest percent of cob contamination per plant, while Junak (FAO 210-220) and Baca (FAO 220) cultivars were characterized by the highest degree of contamination. The lowest deoxynivalenol concentrations were determined in years 2008 and 2009 in the case of the DKC 3421 YG (MON 810) cultivar, whereas Prosna (FAO 220) cultivar was characterized by the highest deoxynivalenol concentration.

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Transgenic maize plants by tissue electroporation.

The Plant Cell ◽

10.1105/tpc.4.12.1495 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 4 (12) ◽

pp. 1495-1505 ◽

Cited By ~ 158

Author(s):

K D'Halluin ◽

E Bonne ◽

M Bossut ◽

M De Beuckeleer ◽

J Leemans

Keyword(s):

Transgenic Maize ◽

Tissue Electroporation ◽

Maize Plants

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Effects of Bt maize on the reproduction and development of the freshwater snail Bulinus tropicus

Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Natuurwetenskap en Tegnologie ◽

10.4102/satnt.v31i1.348 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

Author(s):

K. Minnaar ◽

H. Bouwman

Keyword(s):

Growth Rate ◽

Fresh Water ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

Genetically Modified Crops ◽

Freshwater Snail ◽

Bt Maize

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of genetically modified crops onaquatic environments around agricultural land. Fresh water snails indicated effects duringembryonic development, and on the growth rate of survivors.

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