Responses of 9 lepidopteran species to Bacillus thuringiensis: How useful is phylogenetic relatedness for selecting surrogate species for nontarget arthropod risk assessment?

To evaluate phylogenetic relatedness as a proxy for susceptibility to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) when selecting species to act as surrogates for others in prerelease testing, we examined the responses of 11 laboratory-reared lepidopteran colonies, comprising members of 2 families, 5 genera, and 9 species, to a commercial Bt preparation. Survival, pupal mass, and timing of pupation and adult emergence of 2 noctuids (Spodoptera litura and Helicoverpa armigera) and 7 tortricids (Cnephasia jactatana, Ctenopseustis obliquana, Ctenopseustis herana,Planotortrix octo, Planotortrix notophaea,Planotortrix excessana [2 different laboratory colonies], and Epiphyas postvittana [2 colonies]) were examined after feeding first instar larvae with artificial diet containing 5 μL/100 mL Dipel ES (Bt subsp. kurstaki).

No unintended impacts of transgenic pine (Pinus radiata) trees on above ground invertebrate communities.

As part of an investigation into the potential unintended ecological impacts of transgenic trees, invertebrates were sampled from a field trial of transgenic Pinus radiata D. Don carrying the expressed antibiotic resistance marker gene neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) along with other genes known to affect reproductive development in plants and from nontransformed control trees. Invertebrate species abundance, richness, diversity, and composition were measured and compared among trees of five different transclones and nontransformed isogenic control trees.

A screening method for prioritizing non-target invertebrates for improved biosafety testing of transgenic crops.

We have developed a screening method that can be used during the problem formulation phase of risk assessment to identify and prioritize non-target invertebrates for risk analysis with any transgenic plant. In previously published protocols for this task, five criteria predominated. These criteria have been combined by our method in a simple model which assesses: (1) the possible level of risk presented by the plant to each invertebrate species (through measurements of potential hazard and exposure, the two principal criteria); (2) the hypothetical environmental impact of this risk (determined by the currently known status of the species' population in the ecosystem and its potential resilience to environmental perturbations); (3) the estimated economic, social and cultural value of each species; and (4) the assessed ability to conduct tests with the species.

Effects of tobacco genetically modified to express protease inhibitor bovine spleen trypsin inhibitor on non-target soil organisms.

Effects of tobacco genetically modified to express the protease inhibitor bovine spleen trypsin inhibitor (BSTI) were examined in laboratory assays against three earthworm and one collembolan species. BSTI is a serine protease inhibitor that can bind to the digestive trypsins of insects feeding on modified plants, resulting in reduced growth and survival. Protease inhibitors are active against a broad range of insects, so may have a large impact on non-target organisms.