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Related Experiment Videos

Insect-resistant transgenic plants in a multi-trophic context.

Astrid T Groot1, Marcel Dicke

  • 1Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, PO Box 8031, 6700 EH Wageningen, The Netherlands.

The Plant Journal : for Cell and Molecular Biology
|August 17, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Genetic engineering of crops for insect control, particularly Bt crops, can impact beneficial insects. Further research is needed to understand toxin effects on non-target herbivores and their role in food webs for sustainable pest management.

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Area of Science:

  • Agricultural Science
  • Ecology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Genetic engineering in plants for insect control often involves inserting toxin-producing genes, essentially integrating biopesticides into breeding.
  • Natural enemies of herbivores are crucial for insect pest control but are often overlooked in plant breeding programs.
  • Plant breeding can significantly influence the efficacy of biological control, with potential negative impacts on beneficial arthropods.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the effects of insect-resistant and transgenic crops, especially Bt crops, on food webs from a comprehensive perspective.
  • To highlight the importance of considering non-target organisms, including below-ground fauna, in risk assessments.
  • To identify knowledge gaps regarding toxin persistence and transfer through food webs.

Main Methods:

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  • Literature review focusing on insect-resistant crops, particularly Bt crops.
  • Analysis of effects on various food web components: target and non-target herbivores, pollinators, parasitoids, and predators.
  • Examination of the fate and impact of toxins on soil organisms and their potential role as intermediaries.

Main Results:

  • Studies on insect-resistant (Bt) plants show varied effects (positive, negative, or none) on natural enemies of target herbivores.
  • Bt toxins can persist in soil, with earthworms ingesting them without apparent harm, but potentially transferring them to other trophic levels.
  • The fate and toxicity of Bt toxins in non-target herbivores, and their subsequent transfer to natural enemies, remain largely unstudied.

Conclusions:

  • Sustainable pest management requires minimizing negative impacts of insect-resistant crops on beneficial arthropods.
  • Further research is essential to understand the complex interactions within food webs, especially concerning non-target herbivores and toxin transfer.
  • A comprehensive risk assessment must include below-ground organisms and the long-term ecological consequences of transgenic traits.