Transgenic Cry1Ab Rice Does Not Impact Ecological Fitness and Predation of a Generalist Spider

Background: The commercial release of rice genetically engineered to express a Cry1Ab protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) for control of Lepidoptera in China is a subject of debate. One major point of the debate has focused on the ecological safety of Bt rice on nontarget organisms, especially predators and parasitoids that help control populations of insect pests. Methodology/Principal Findings: A tritrophic bioassay was conducted to evaluate the potential impact of Cry1Abexpressing rice on fitness parameters of a predaceous ground spider (Pardosa pseudoannulata (Bösenberg et Strand)) that had fed on Bt rice-fed brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens (Sta˚l)) nymphs. Survival, development time and fecundity of this spider were not different when they were fed with Bt rice-fed or non-Bt rice-fed prey. Furthermore, ELISA and PCR gut assays, as well as a functional response trial, indicated that predation by P. pseudoannulata was not significantly different in Bt rice or non-Bt rice fields. Conclusions/Significance: The transgenic Cry1Ab rice lines tested in this study had no adverse effects on the survival, developmental time and fecundity of P. pseudoannulata in the laboratory or on predation under field conditions. Thi

Effect of fertilizer, pesticide treatment, and plant variety on the realized fecundity and survival rates of Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) (Homoptera: Delphacidae) - Generating outbreaks in Cambodia

Uneven farm practices between farmers cause the patchy pest distribution, especially in the brown planthopper (BPH: Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)) in Cambodia. Since 1994 BPH have attacked Cambodian rice fields in patchy form. More BPH attacked in field where farmers have more opportunity to use fertilizer and insecticides. Rice production in Cambodia will probably face more problems with BPH outbreaks as rice production intensifies. The birth and/or survival rate of BPH that leads to population outbreaks are related to fertilizer, plant variety and insecticide treatments. The experiments were conducted in the field and laboratory in Cambodia in 1999 to test the hypothesis above. A traditional variety (Eath Chhmoush), low and high fertilizer rates, and an organic phosphate insecticide (Diazinon) were used in the field experiment and two varieties (susceptible and tolerant to BPH) and three rates of NPK fertilizer were used in the laboratory study. BPH population and others arthropods were collected weekly from the field experiment by a D-vac machine. Two kinds of net cages (temporary and permanent) were covered the rice plants to determine the birth and survival rate of BPH population with and without natural enemies. Number of oöcytes was counted from BPH females, which reared in plant-cages. Birth and survival rates of BPH were higher in susceptible plants with high fertilizer rate used. The experiment indicated that natural enemies have played the important role to control the BPH population. The realized fecundity and survival of BPH was higher in susceptible host plant variety with high rate of NPK fertilizer used. The immediate response of fertilizer application to the BPH offspring production was not shown and will be tested in wet season 2000