Influence of Bt Maize on Diversity and Composition of Non-target Arthropod Species

Non-target arthropods may be affected by toxins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) expressed in transgenic maize. The objective of this study was to evaluate the possible impacts of Bt maize on the diversity and the composition of non-target arthropod species by analyzing one field cultivated with conventional maize (no expressing transgenic protein) and three fields cultivated with transgenic maize (expressing Bt proteins). In each field was sampled 50 entirely plants for the number of arthropod specimens and registred the degree of injury caused by the chewing insects. A total of 2.525 specimens of arthropods, comprising 29 species from 25 families, were recorded on 3.000 sampled plants. The most diverse family belonged to the order Hemiptera. Based on Shannon and Simpson indexes, the Bt-transgenic cultivar EXP3320YG had lower level of non-target arthropod diversity than other cultivars. From this study, it is clear that the diversity of non-target arthropods on maize crop is negatively affected by Cry1Ab protein, while the Cry1A105+Cry2Ab2+Cry1F proteins, and Cry1A105+Cry2Ab2+Cry3Bb1 proteins do not have any effect on arthropod species diversity and composition.

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CRY1AB protein from MON810 transgenic maize and Bacillus thuringiensis has no clear adjuvanticity after intranasal exposure

Toxicology Letters ◽

10.1016/j.toxlet.2014.06.696 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 229 ◽

pp. S207 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Monica Andreassen ◽

Thomas Bøhn ◽

Odd-Gunnar Wikmark ◽

Johnnie Van den Berg ◽

Martinus Løvik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽

Transgenic Maize ◽

Cry1ab Protein

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The impact of Bacillus thuringiensis technology on the occurrence of fumonisins and other mycotoxins in maize

World Mycotoxin Journal ◽

10.3920/wmj2015.1960 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 475-486 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

J. Díaz-Gómez ◽

S. Marín ◽

T. Capell ◽

V. Sanchis ◽

A.J. Ramos

Keyword(s):

Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽

Fungal Infection ◽

European Corn Borer ◽

Insect Pests ◽

Animal Feed ◽

Bt Maize ◽

Cry1ab Protein ◽

Corn Borer ◽

Maize Hybrids ◽

The Impact

In many developing countries, maize is both a staple food crop and a widely-used animal feed. However, adventitious colonisation or damage caused by insect pests allows fungi to penetrate the vegetative parts of the plant and the kernels, the latter resulting in mycotoxin contamination. Maize seeds contaminated with fumonisins and other mycotoxins pose a serious threat to both humans and livestock. However, numerous studies have reported a significant reduction in pest damage, disease symptoms and fumonisin levels in maize hybrids expressing the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) gene cry1Ab, particularly in areas where the European corn borer is prevalent. When other pests are also present, the cry1Ab gene alone offers insufficient protection, and combinations of insecticidal genes are required to reduce damage to plants caused by insects. The combination of Cry1Ab protein with other Cry proteins (such as Cry1F) or Vip proteins has reduced the incidence of pests and, indirectly, mycotoxin levels. Maize hybrids expressing multiple Bt genes, such as SmartStax®, are less susceptible to damage by insects, but mycotoxin levels are not routinely and consistently compared in these crops. Bt maize has a greater economic impact on Fusarium toxins than aflatoxins. The main factors that determine the effectiveness of Bt hybrids are the type of pest and the environmental conditions, but the different fungal infection pathways must also be considered. An alternative strategy to reduce mycotoxin levels in crops is the development of transgenic plants expressing genes that protect against fungal infection or reduce mycotoxin levels by in situ detoxification. In this review article, we summarise what is known about the relationship between the cultivation of Bt maize hybrids and contamination levels with different types of mycotoxins.

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Effects of ensiling of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize (MON810) on degradation of the crystal 1Ab (Cry1Ab) protein and compositional quality of silage

AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY ◽

10.5897/ajb11.1856 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 10 (76) ◽

Author(s):

Agathar Kamota

Keyword(s):

Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽

Bt Maize ◽

Cry1ab Protein ◽

Maize Mon810 ◽

Compositional Quality

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Sequence-Based Analysis of the Intestinal Microbiota of Sows and Their Offspring Fed Genetically Modified Maize Expressing a Truncated Form of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab Protein (Bt Maize)

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.02937-13 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 79 (24) ◽

pp. 7735-7744 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Stefan G. Buzoianu ◽

Maria C. Walsh ◽

Mary C. Rea ◽

Lisa Quigley ◽

Orla O'Sullivan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽

Intestinal Microbiota ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Truncated Form ◽

Bt Maize ◽

Cry1ab Protein ◽

Content Type ◽

Bacterial Phyla ◽

Gm Maize

ABSTRACTThe aim was to investigate transgenerational effects of feeding genetically modified (GM) maize expressing a truncated form ofBacillus thuringiensisCry1Ab protein (Bt maize) to sows and their offspring on maternal and offspring intestinal microbiota. Sows were assigned to either non-GM or GM maize dietary treatments during gestation and lactation. At weaning, offspring were assigned within sow treatment to non-GM or GM maize diets for 115 days, as follows: (i) non-GM maize-fed sow/non-GM maize-fed offspring (non-GM/non-GM), (ii) non-GM maize-fed sow/GM maize-fed offspring (non-GM/GM), (iii) GM maize-fed sow/non-GM maize-fed offspring (GM/non-GM), and (iv) GM maize-fed sow/GM maize-fed offspring (GM/GM). Offspring of GM maize-fed sows had higher counts of fecal total anaerobes andEnterobacteriaceaeat days 70 and 100 postweaning, respectively. At day 115 postweaning, GM/non-GM offspring had lower ilealEnterobacteriaceaecounts than non-GM/non-GM or GM/GM offspring and lower ileal total anaerobes than pigs on the other treatments. GM maize-fed offspring also had higher ileal total anaerobe counts than non-GM maize-fed offspring, and cecal total anaerobes were lower in non-GM/GM and GM/non-GM offspring than in those from the non-GM/non-GM treatment. The only differences observed for major bacterial phyla using 16S rRNA gene sequencing were that fecalProteobacteriawere less abundant in GM maize-fed sows prior to farrowing and in offspring at weaning, with fecalFirmicutesmore abundant in offspring. While other differences occurred, they were not observed consistently in offspring, were mostly encountered for low-abundance, low-frequency bacterial taxa, and were not associated with pathology. Therefore, their biological relevance is questionable. This confirms the lack of adverse effects of GM maize on the intestinal microbiota of pigs, even following transgenerational consumption.

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Metabarcoding Malaise traps and soil eDNA reveals seasonal and local arthropod diversity shifts

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-89950-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ameli Kirse ◽

Sarah J. Bourlat ◽

Kathrin Langen ◽

Vera G. Fonseca

Keyword(s):

Habitat Preferences ◽

Life Cycles ◽

Soil Samples ◽

Turnover Rates ◽

Arthropod Diversity ◽

Arthropod Species ◽

Species Overlap ◽

Below Ground ◽

Phenological Shifts ◽

Malaise Traps

AbstractForest habitats host enormous diversity, but little is known about the seasonal turnover of arthropod species between the above- and below ground forest layers. In this study, we used metabarcoding approaches to uncover arthropod diversity in different forest types and seasons. Our study shows that metabarcoding soil eDNA and Malaise trap bulk samples can provide valuable insights into the phenology and life cycles of arthropods. We found major differences in arthropod species diversity between soil samples and Malaise traps, with only 11.8% species overlap. Higher diversity levels were found in Malaise traps in summer whereas soil samples showed a diversity peak in winter, highlighting the seasonal habitat preferences and life strategies of arthropods. We conclude that collecting time series of bulk arthropod samples and eDNA in the same locations provides a more complete picture of local arthropod diversity and turnover rates and may provide valuable information on climate induced phenological shifts for long-term monitoring.

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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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Degradation of the Cry1Ab protein within transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis corn tissue in the field

Molecular Ecology ◽

10.1046/j.1365-294x.2003.01767.x ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 765-775 ◽

Cited By ~ 183

Author(s):

C. Zwahlen ◽

A. Hilbeck ◽

P. Gugerli ◽

W. Nentwig

Keyword(s):

Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽

Cry1ab Protein

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Community structure of arboreal and soil-dwelling arthropods in three different rice planting indexes in freshwater swamps of South Sumatra, Indonesia

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity ◽

10.13057/biodiv/d211050 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (10) ◽

Author(s):

Tili Karenina ◽

Siti Herlinda ◽

Chandra Irsan ◽

Yulia Pujiastuti ◽

Hasbi Hasbi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Community Structure ◽

Species Diversity ◽

Rice Fields ◽

Herbivorous Insects ◽

Arthropod Community ◽

Pitfall Traps ◽

Sogatella Furcifera ◽

Pardosa Pseudoannulata ◽

Arthropod Species ◽

Predatory Arthropods

Abstract. Karenina T, Herlinda S, Irsan C, Pujiastuti Y, Hasbi, Suparman, Lakitan B, Hamidson H, Umayah A. 2020. Community structure of arboreal and soil-dwelling arthropods in three different rice planting indexes in freshwater swamps of South Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 4839-4849. Differences in the index of rice planting can cause differences in the structure of the arthropod community. This study aimed to characterize the community structure of the arboreal and soil-dwelling arthropods in the three different rice planting indexes (PI) in the freshwater swamps of South Sumatra. Sampling of the arthropods using D-vac and pitfall traps was conducted in the three different rice planting, namely one (PI-100), two (PI-200), and three (PI-300) planting indexes of the rice. The results of the study showed that the dominant predatory arthropod species in the rice fields were Pardosa pseudoannulata, Tetragnatha javana, Tetragnatha virescens, Pheropsophus occipitalis, Paederus fuscipes, and the dominant herbivorous insects were Leptocorisa acuta, Nilavarpata lugens, and Sogatella furcifera. The abundance of arboreal predatory arthropods was the highest in the PI-300 rice and the lowest in the PI-100 rice. The abundance of soil-dwelling arthropods was the highest in the rice PI-100, and low in the rice PI-200 and PI-300, but the rice PI-100 had the highest abundance of the herbivorous insects. The rice PI-300 was the most ideal habitats to maintain the abundance and the species diversity of the arboreal predatory arthropods. Thus, the rice cultivation throughout the year was profitable in conserving and maintaining the abundance and species diversity of the predatory arthropods.

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Occurrence and Ear Damage of Helicoverpa zea on Transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis Maize in the Field in Texas, U.S. and Its Susceptibility to Vip3A Protein

Toxins ◽

10.3390/toxins11020102 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 102 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Fei Yang ◽

José C. Santiago González ◽

Jayme Williams ◽

Donald C. Cook ◽

Ryan T. Gilreath ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽

Helicoverpa Zea ◽

Sustainable Use ◽

Leaf Tissue ◽

Corn Earworm ◽

Laboratory Population ◽

Bt Maize ◽

Cry Proteins ◽

Damage Area ◽

The U.S

The corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), is a major pest of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize and cotton in the U.S.. Reduced efficacy of Bt plants expressing Cry1 and Cry2 against H. zea has been reported in some areas of the U.S.. In this study, we evaluated the occurrence and ear damage of H. zea on transgenic Bt maize expressing Cry proteins or a combination of Vip3A and Cry proteins in the field in Texas in 2018. We found that the occurrence of H. zea larvae and the viable kernel damage area on the ear were not different between non-Bt maize and Bt maize expressing Cry1A.105+Cry2Ab2 and Cry1Ab+Cry1F proteins. A total of 67.5% of the pyramided Bt maize expressing Cry1Ab+Cry1F+Vip3A was damaged by 2nd–4th instar larvae of H. zea. Diet bioassays showed that the resistance ratio against Vip3Aa51 for H. zea obtained from Cry1Ab+Cry1F+Vip3A maize was 20.4 compared to a field population collected from Cry1F+Cry1A.105+Cry2Ab2 maize. Leaf tissue bioassays showed that 7-day survivorship on WideStrike3 (Cry1F+Cry1Ac+Vip3A) cotton leaves was significantly higher for the H. zea population collected from Cry1Ab+Cry1F+Vip3A maize than for a Bt-susceptible laboratory population. The results generated from this study suggest that H. zea has evolved practical resistance to Cry1 and Cry2 proteins. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure the sustainable use of the Vip3A technology in Bt maize and cotton.

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