No Effect of Bt-transgenic Rice on the Tritrophic Interaction of the Stored Rice, the Maize Weevil Sitophilus Zeamais and the Parasitoid Wasp Theocolax elegans

• Published in: Scientific reports 2019-03, Vol.9 (1), p.4306-4306, Article 4306
• Main Authors: Tang, Qingfeng, Yang, Zhipeng, Han, Rongrong, Zhang, Ying, Shen, Chen, Wang, Jian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 38; 38/90; 631/158/2456; 631/61/447/2312; Adults; Animals; Body Size; Corn; Cry1Ac toxin; Eggs; Entomology; Fecundity; Fused protein; Humanities and Social Sciences; Insect Proteins - genetics; Insect Proteins - metabolism; multidisciplinary; Oryza; Oryza - adverse effects; Oryza - genetics; Parasitoids; Pesticides; Plants, Genetically Modified - adverse effects; Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics; Proteins; Receptors, Cell Surface - genetics; Receptors, Cell Surface - metabolism; Rice; Risk assessment; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sex Ratio; Sitophilus zeamais; Survival Rate; Tri-trophic interactions; Wasps - growth & development; Wasps - metabolism; Wasps - physiology; Weevils - growth & development; Weevils - metabolism; Weevils - parasitology; Weevils - physiology
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40836-8

During Bt transgenic rice storage, Bt Cry1Ab/Cry1Ac fused protein is exposed to the maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais and the parasitoid wasp Theocolax elegans . We have carried out a long-term risk assessment for Bt rice to these non-target organisms in the storehouse. Effects of Bt rice on S . zeamais and T . elegans have been carefully detected in a laboratory experiment of over 5 years. The survival, development, fecundity, and longevity of the maize weevil were compared between Bt rice and non- Bt rice treatments for every 5 generations from generation 1 to 25. Moreover, the development, adult body size and sex ratio of T . elegans were compared between them parasitizing S . zeamais feeding on Bt rice or non- Bt rice. We found that although Bt Cry1Ab/Cry1Ac fused protein exists in the Bt rice grains and S . zeamais digestive tracts, Bt rice is not harmful to the maize weevil S . zeamais and its parasitoid T . elegans .