Toxicological and biochemical analyses demonstrate no toxic effect of Bt maize on the Folsomia candida.

Zhilei Jiang,Daming Wang,Junqi Yin,Lin Zhou,Xinyuan Song,Fengci Wu,Baifeng Wang,Lee Bulla

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0232747

Zhilei Jiang, Daming Wang + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232747

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Abstract

The potential effects of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) maize on non-target organisms must be conducted before the Bt maize is commercially planted. Folsomia candida is one of the non-target organisms of Bt maize, also as an important indicator of soil quality and environmental pollution. In this study, a 90-day F. candida feeding test were conducted to evaluate the potential effects of two Bt maize lines IE09S034 and BT799 and their non-Bt conventional isolines Zong 31 and Zheng 58. The results show that Bt maize lines had no significant effects on the survival rate, reproduction, adult body length, larval body length, and the activities of acetyl cholinesterase, catalase and superoxide dismutase on the F. candida. Namely, Bt maize had no toxic effects on the F. candida.

Highlights

After Bt cotton has been popularized in China, Bt maize become the most valuable genetically modified (GM) plant for popularization and has an important application prospect
No effect of Bt maize leaves on the reproduction rates of F. candida
As the reproductive cycle of F. candida is about 30 days, we investigated the eggs and larvae of F. candida once every ten days from the 40th to the 90th days after feeding on maize leaves, namely the investigation was conducted for six times

Summary

Introduction

After Bt cotton has been popularized in China, Bt maize become the most valuable genetically modified (GM) plant for popularization and has an important application prospect. Because Bt maize would release Bt proteins into soil ecosystem through its root exudates [1], pollen, stubble decomposition and straw returning [2] and cause environmental risks, so the safety of Bt maize, especially environmental safety, is focused on worldwide. Most studies on the environmental risk assessment of Bt plants use field investigation method to analyze the parameters of soil animal community in field. Laboratory study has become an important means to study the effects of Bt plants on soil animal community [3]. F. candida, at the bottom of the food chain, is a worldwide omnivorous soil animal. It is parthenogenesis, and has the characteristics of high reproductive rate and short growth cycle.

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