Journal Article

Biochemical analyses demonstrate that Bt maize has no adverse effects on Eisenia fetida

Jiang, Zhilei, Wang, Baifeng, Yin, Junqi, Wang, Daming, Wu, Fengci, Song, Xinyuan

2022

Overview

The potential effects of Bt ( Bacillus thuringiensis ) maize on non-target organisms should be evaluated before such maize is commercially planted. Earthworms play an indispensable role in the soil ecosystem; act as important bio-indicators of soil quality and environmental pollution. Therefore, earthworms are often used as the object to evaluate the non-target effect of Bt maize. To accelerate the commercialization of transgenic maize in China, a 90-day Eisenia fetida feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential effects of Bt maize line, BT799—which was developed by China Agricultural University and contains the Cry1Ac gene—and its non-Bt conventional isoline—Zheng 58—on E . fetida . Our results showed that the Bt maize line had no significant effects on the growth, reproduction, or enzymatic activities of these earthworms. In summary, Bt maize had no toxic effects on E . fetida .

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Agricultural research / Animals / Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins - toxicity / Biology and Life Sciences / Bt gene / Commercialization / Corn / Cotton / Cry1Ac gene / Cry1Ac toxin / Earth Sciences / Ecosystem / Eisenia (Earthworms) / Eisenia fetida / Engineering and Technology / Environmental aspects / Environmental pollution / Enzymatic activity / Enzymes / Experiments / Genetically engineered organisms / Genetically modified crops / Insect-plant relationships / Laboratories / Medicine and Health Sciences / Nontarget organisms / Oligochaeta / Physiological aspects / Physiology / Plants, Genetically Modified - toxicity / Proteins / Research and Analysis Methods / Sediment pollution / Soil - chemistry / Soil pollution / Soil quality / Soils / Toxicity / Transgenic plants / Worms / Zea mays - genetics