Abstract
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) is a common and abundant predator in China and may be exposed to Cry toxins that are produced in Bt crops either by feeding on plant parts or by feeding on target or nontarget herbivorous insects. A new Bt maize line, expressing the Cry1Ab/Cry2Aj fused protein, has been developed and should be rigorously assessed for the ecological risks on the natural enemy. Laboratory experiments were carried out to study the effects of this Bt maize on nontarget predator H. axyridis via bitrophic interaction of adult H. axyridis feeding on Bt maize pollen and tritrophic interaction of H. axyridis consuming the lepidopteran prey. Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) neonate larvae were used to transfer Bt protein because they could survive after ingesting transgenic cry1Ab/cry2Aj maize kernels in the previous study. ELISA bioassays confirmed that the Bt protein could be transferred, but diluted through Bt maize-prey-predator. Life history parameters such as survival, development, weight, fecundity, and egg hatching rate were not significantly different when H. axyridis consumed prey that had been reared on Bt maize compared with prey reared on a nontransformed parental control. Furthermore, feeding directly on Bt maize pollen also had no detrimental effects on fitness, survival, and weight of female and male adults. In conclusion, our results indicate that transgenic cry1Ab/cry2Aj maize poses no ecological risks on the nontarget predator H. axyridis.
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Claims 3
Claim · model-written summary
Bt protein transferred through the maize-prey-predator chain but was diluted.
Zea maysNot reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“ELISA bioassays confirmed that the Bt protein could be transferred, but diluted through Bt maize-prey-predator.”
Claim · model-written summary
Predator life history traits did not differ significantly after feeding on prey reared on Bt maize.
- Treatment
- prey that had been reared on Bt maizee0
- Interactor
- H. axyridis
.jpg?width=60)
Harmonia axyridise0other - Outcome
- survival, development, weight, fecundity, and egg hatching ratee0
- Direction
- not significantly differente0
- Comparator
- prey reared on a nontransformed parental controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“Life history parameters such as survival, development, weight, fecundity, and egg hatching rate were not significantly different when H. axyridis consumed prey that had been reared on Bt maize compared with prey reared on a nontransformed parental control.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Direct feeding on Bt maize pollen had no detrimental effects on adult predator fitness, survival or weight.
- Treatment
- feeding directly on Bt maize pollene0
- Interactor
- Harmonia axyridisHarmonia axyridist0other
- Outcome
- fitness, survival, and weighte0
- Direction
- no detrimental effectse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“feeding directly on Bt maize pollen also had no detrimental effects on fitness, survival, and weight of female and male adults.”
t0“Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)”
The same questions in other papers
transgenic · Harmonia axyridis · Zea mays (maize)Results agree
1 paper in the same direction as this paper
- no effect
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.