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- Title
Response of Danaus plexippus to pollen of two new Bt corn events via laboratory bioassay.
- Authors
Mattila, Heather R.; Sears, Mark K.; Duan, Jian J.
- Abstract
Laboratory bioassays were conducted to evaluate the response of first instar larvae of the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus L. (Lepidoptera: Danaidae), a non-target species, to pollen from corn, Zea mays L. (Commelinales: Poaceae), from two new corn hybrids genetically modified to express different types of insecticidal proteins derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bacillales: Bacillaceae) (Bt). One hybrid expresses both Cry1Ab and Cry2Ab2 proteins (MON 810 × MON 84006), active against lepidopteran pests, and the other expresses Cry3Bb1 protein (MON 863), targeted against coleopteran pests. First instar larvae were placed on milkweed leaves ( Asclepias syriaca L.) (Gentianales: Asclepiadaceae) dusted with doses of either Bt pollen or its nonexpressing (isoline) pollen counterpart ranging from 50 to 3200 grains cm−2 of milkweed leaves, or no pollen at all. Larvae were exposed to pollen for 4 days, then moved to pollen-free leaves and observed for another 6 days. Survival was observed after 2, 4, and 10 days. Weight gain was estimated after 4 and 10 days, leaf consumption after 2 and 4 days, and larval development after 10 days. Exposure to pollen of the Cry1Ab/Cry2Ab2-Bt expressing hybrid reduced larval survival approximately 7.5–23.5% at the dose ranges tested relative to a no pollen control. Larval weight gain and consumption were reduced for larvae exposed to pollen of this hybrid and a small minority of larvae (3.1%) never developed past the third instar after 10 days of observation. Exposure to pollen of the Cry3Bb1-Bt expressing hybrid had no negative effects on larval mortality, weight gain, consumption, or development relative to the consumption of Bt-free corn pollen. The relevance of these findings to the risk that these Bt corn hybrids pose to monarch populations is discussed.
- Subjects
MONARCH butterfly; DANAUS (Butterflies); CORN; POLLEN; FORAGE plants; ANIMAL-plant relationships; ECOLOGY
- Publication
Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 2005, Vol 116, Issue 1, p31
- ISSN
0013-8703
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1570-7458.2005.00304.x