Field trials to evaluate the effects of transgenic cry1le maize on the community characteristics of arthropod natural enemies

Authors: GUO, JINGFEI - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; HE, KANGLAI - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; Hellmich Ii, Richard; BAI, SHUXIONG - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; ZHANG, TIANTAO - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; LIU, YUNJUN - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; AHMED, TOFAEL - Sugarcane Research Institute; WANG, ZHENYING - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences

Submitted to: Scientific Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/8/2016
Publication Date: 2/26/2016
Citation: Guo, J., He, K., Hellmich II, R.L., Bai, S., Zhang, T., Liu, Y., Ahmed, T., Wang, Z. 2016. Field trials to evaluate the effects of transgenic cry1le maize on the community characteristics of arthropod natural enemies. Scientific Reports. 6:22102. doi: 10.1038/srep22102.

Interpretive Summary: Genetically engineered maize called Bt maize has been welcomed by growers in the United States. There are several types of Bt maize based on the Cry protein produced by the plant. In this case a new type of Bt maize that produces insecticidal protein Cry1Ie is tested for possible non-target effects on natural enemy community biodiversity. A two year study of transgenic cry1Ie gene maize (Event IE09S034, Bt maize) and its near isoline (Zong 31, non-Bt maize) on natural enemy community biodiversity was conducted using visual inspections, pitfall traps and suction sampler. Three indices (Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Simpson’s diversity index and Pielou's index) suggested there were no significant differences between the two types of maize. The only exception was the Pielou’s index for Bt maize was significantly higher than that of non-Bt maize for visual inspections in 2013. The main species of natural enemies were identical in Bt and non-Bt maize plots for each method and the three methods combined. For visual inspections during the two years, Bt maize had no time-dependent effect on the entire arthropod natural enemy community, and also no effect on community dissimilarities between Bt and non-Bt maize plots. These results suggested that despite the presence of a relatively minor difference in natural enemy communities between Bt and non-Bt maize, transgenic cry1Ie maize had little, if any, effect on natural enemy community biodiversity. This information is valuable to all growers and scientists interested in the environmental safety of Bt maize.

Technical Abstract: Possible non-target effects of transgenic cry1Ie gene maize exerts on natural enemy community biodiversity in the field is unresolved. In the present study, a 2-yr study of transgenic cry1Ie gene maize (Event IE09S034, Bt maize) and its near isoline (Zong 31, non-Bt maize) on natural enemy community biodiversity was conducted using visual inspections, pitfall traps and suction sampler. Three indices (Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Simpson’s diversity index and Pielou's index) suggested there were no significant differences between the two types of maize. The only exception was the Pielou’s index for Bt maize was significantly higher than that of non-Bt maize for visual inspections in 2013. The main species of natural enemies were identical in Bt and non-Bt maize plots for each method and the three methods combined. For visual inspections during the two years, Bt maize had no time-dependent effect on the entire arthropod natural enemy community, and also no effect on community dissimilarities between Bt and non-Bt maize plots. These results suggested that despite the presence of a relatively minor difference in natural enemy communities between Bt and non-Bt maize, transgenic cry1Ie maize had little, if any, effect on natural enemy community biodiversity. This new type of Bt maize could be valuable to growers for managing lepidopteran pest resistance to Cry proteins.