CrylAb rice does not impact biological characters and functional response of Cyrtorhinus lividipennis preying on Nilaparvata lugens eggs

Abstract

One concern about the use of transgenic plants is their potential risk to natural enemies. In this study, using the eggs of the rice brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens, as a food source, we investigated the effects of Cry1Ab rice on the biological characteristics and functional response of an important predator Cyrtorhinus lividipennis. The results showed that the survival ability (adult emergence rate and egg hatching rate), development (egg duration, nymphal developmental duration), adult fresh weight, adult longevity and fecundity of C. lividipennis on Bt rice plants were not significantly different compared to those on non-Bt rice plants. Furthermore, two important parameters of functional response (instantaneous search rate and handling time) were not significantly affected by Bt rice. In conclusion, the tested Cry1Ab rice does not adversely impact the biological character and functional response of C. lividipennis.

Keywords

• Bt rice
• safety assessment
• non-target organism
• natural enemy