Workshop on modern biology & its social impacts

2-5 Dec 2007, Xishuanbanna, Yunnan, China

Environmental Impacts of GM Crops for Insect-Resistance

Yufa PengBiosafety Research Centre, CAAS, Beijing

yfpeng@ippcaas.cn

MOA Inspection and Test Center for Environmental Safety of Transgenic Crops

Lab testing Environmental testing

The major crops under field testing

Rice

Cotton

Soybean

Corn

Potato

1

2

3

4

Experimental Stations for Environmental safety of Bt cotton

1-Langfang,Hebei （ 1997- ） 2-An Yang, Henan （ 1997- ）

3-Tianmen, Hubei （ 2001- ） 4- Kashi, Xinjiang （ 2001- ）

Langfang

Environmental Impacts of Bt Cotton

Population dynamics of non-target pests and natural enemies in Bt cotton field

Number of predators increased due to reduced pesticide uses in Bt cotton field

The damage of aphid reduced due to higher population of natural enemies

Mirids become the major pests in Bt cotton

Impact of Bt Cotton PollenOn Silkworms

No significant difference was observed on mortality of silkworm at the density of 100 pollen grains/cm2 in Bt cotton field or Chinese tussah silkworm at the density of 1000 pollen grains/cm2 in Bt corn field compared to non-Bt controls

Antheraea pernyiBombyx mori

Effects on Arthropod Biodiversity of Bt CottonA higher diversity in species and a better structure of arthropod community in Bt cotton field

Monitoring the Bt toxin residue in soil of Bt cotton field

土壤环境下Bt棉花叶片杀虫的降解动态规律 Degradation dynamics of Cry1Ac protein of Bt cotton in

field

A

B B BB B0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

取样日期 Sampling date(m-d)

Bt 蛋

白含

量(n

gg

-1)

Bt p

rote

in

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Bt 蛋

白/ 可

溶性

蛋白

Bt

pro

tein

/dis

solu

ble

pro

tein

(%)1. Bt Bt蛋白含量

protei n

2. Bt /蛋白 可溶性蛋白Bt protei n/ di ssol ubl eprotei n

2

1

The contents of Cry1Ac toxin in soil in Langfang,Hebei, Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong were less than ELISA test limit

Cotton

Wheat

Cotton

Corn

Cotton

Soybean/Peanut

Functions of cotton bollworm refuges with different planting models

1st 2nd 3rd fourth

generation larvae

Corn

Soybean

Peanut

Different planting models

Soybean/Peanut

Resistance evaluation of Bt cotton lines to cotton bollworm

Environmental testing of GM soybean

The survival and competitive ability

The ecological consequence of gene flow

Effects on non-target organisms and

biodiversity

The survival and competitive ability

The ecological consequence of gene flow

Effects on non-target organisms and

biodiversity

♣ survival: less

♣ weediness:

without advantage

Testing the survival and competitive abilities

Testing the survival and competitive abilities

GM soybean

Testing the ecological risk of gene flow Testing the ecological risk of gene flow

Gene flow frequency

0.0316 ％～ 0.6 ％ maximum flow distance: 20m

GM soybean

Local soybean variety

GM soybean

Local soybean variety

Experimental layout of gene flow

GM soybean

Testing the ecological risk of gene flow Testing the ecological risk of gene flow

♣ GM to wild soybean: 0.15%-1.3% ♣ GM to conventional cultivars to yellow soybeans 0.058%-1.63% to black soybeans 0.051%-0.16 ％

GM soybean

effects on biodiversity effects on biodiversity

♣ Direct observations

♣ Vacuum-suction machine

GM soybean

effects on biodiversity effects on biodiversity

♣ effect on Arthropods of soybean

no significant differences

Aphids

Greenish hawk moth

Been blister beetle

Dotted bug

GM soybean

Testing the effects on biodiversity Testing the effects on biodiversity

♣ effects on nature enemy of soybean pests

ladybirdspider

GM soybean

effects on biodiversity effects on biodiversity

♣ effects on nature enemies of soybean diseases

no significant differences

Downy mildew

GM soybean

Environmental impact testing of transgenic Corn

MON810 , MON863 resistant to insects

GA21, NK603 tolerant to herbicide

Bt 11, 176 resistant to insects

TC1705 resistant to insects

DAS-59122-7 resistant to insects and tolerant to herbicide

T25 tolerant to herbicide

MONSANTO

SYNGENTA

Du PONT

BAYER

♣ survival: less

♣ weediness:

without advantage

survival and competitive abilities survival and competitive abilities

transgenic corn

ecological risk of gene flow ecological risk of gene flow

GM corn

♣ 5m: 0.93% to 19.57%

15m: 0.88% to 6.67%

30m: 0.32% to 1.76%

60m: 0.23% to 1%

transgenic corn

the effects on biodiversity the effects on biodiversity

Pitfall trap

Vaccum-sucking machineVisual Observation

Dissecting the stem

transgenic corn

transgenic corn

good control on Asian corn borer

Bt corn

Non-Bt corn damaged by Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis

Bt cornNon-Bt corn

Damaged by peach borer

transgenic corn

♣ effects on non-target insects of Bt corn

no significant differences

Corn leaf aphidThrips

transgenic corn

♣ effects on natural enemies of corn pests

no significant difference

Lacewing

Propylaea japonica

Harmonia axyridis

transgenic corn

♣ effects on corn diseases

Curvularia leaf spotgrey leaf spot

Corn northern leaf blight

Common smut

Concluding remarksCotton bollworm and Bt cotton cultivation

Genetic stability for 10 years

Not an invasive weed

Bt-proteins in cotton cultivars does not appear to alter the fitness to survive in natural habitats

Effects on non-target insects and biodiversity

Insect resistance and IPM strategy

For regulation, have to know vs. nice to knowFor research, understanding & cooperation

Thank you !