Bulletin of Entomological Research (2005) 95, 243-247
T.H. Schuler, A.J. Clark, S.J. Clark, G.M. Poppy, C.N. Stewart and I. Denholm (2005)
Laboratory studies of the effects of reduced prey choice caused by Bt plants on a predatory insect
Bulletin of Entomological Research 95 (3), 243-247
Abstract: Crops transformed to express Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins can cause close to 100% mortality of certain target pest species. This study assessed the effect of target pest reduction on the predatory insect Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) in the presence of alternative prey. Numbers of lacewings recovered from Bt oilseed rape (cultivar Oscar, event O52) did not differ significantly from numbers of lacewings recovered from conventional oilseed rape in cage experiments with the target pest Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) and the non-target pest Myzus persicae (Sulzer) when aphid densities were high. However, significantly fewer lacewings were recovered from Bt plants as aphid densities were lowered. Lacewing weights were not affected by plant type.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Tanja H. Schuler, Ian Denholm, Guy M. Poppy
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation
