Field deposition of Bt transgenic corn pollen: Lethal effects on the monarch butterfly

Laura C. Hansen Jesse; John J. Obrycki

doi:10.1007/s004420000502

Field deposition of Bt transgenic corn pollen: Lethal effects on the monarch butterfly

Laura C. Hansen Jesse, John J. Obrycki

Entomology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

197 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present the first evidence that transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn pollen naturally deposited on Asclepias syriaca; common milkweed, in a corn field causes significant mortality of Danaus plexippus L. (Lepidoptera: Danaidae) larvae. Larvae feeding for 48 h on A. syriaca plants naturally dusted with pollen from Bt corn plants suffered significantly higher rates of mortality at 48 h (20±3%) compared to larvae feeding on leaves with no pollen (3±3%), or feeding on leaves with non-Bt pollen (0%). Mortality at 120 h of D. plexippus larvae exposed to 135 pollen grains/cm² of transgenic pollen for 48 h ranged from 37 to 70%. We found no sub-lethal effects on D. plexippus adults reared from larvae that survived a 48-h exposure to three concentrations of Bt pollen. Based on our quantification of the wind dispersal of this pollen beyond the edges of agricultural fields, we predict that the effects of transgenic pollen on D. plexippus may be observed at least 10 m from transgenic field borders. However, the highest larval mortality will likely occur on A. syriaca plants in corn fields or within 3 m of the edge of a transgenic corn field. We conclude that the ecological effects of transgenic insecticidal crops need to be evaluated more fully before they are planted over extensive areas.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	241-248
Number of pages	8
Journal	Oecologia
Volume	125
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s004420000502
State	Published - 2000

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgements We thank Dr. Orley Taylor, University of Kansas, for D. plexippus eggs, plant material, and guidance in rearing D. plexippus, Dr. Les Lewis, USDA-ARS, for assistance with the O. nubilalis bioassay, Kari Jovaag and Daniel Nordman, Iowa State University, for assistance with statistical analysis, Dr. John Losey, Cornell University, and Dr. Thomas Baker, Iowa State University, for their critical review of an earlier version of this manuscript, Justin Grodnitzky and Jason Belden for help with the ELISA, and John Ohlfest for technical help. Laura Hansen was supported by a Graduate Research Assistantship from the Department of Entomology, Iowa State University and an EPA STAR Fellowship. Journal paper No. J-18503 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No. 3437, and supported by Hatch Act and State of Iowa funds.

Keywords

Bacillus thuringiensis
Bt corn
Danaus plexippus
Risk assessment
Transgenic pollen

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Access to Document

10.1007/s004420000502

Cite this

@article{1fe1942d0d08479ea0dc4ff7a0ba7fa4,

title = "Field deposition of Bt transgenic corn pollen: Lethal effects on the monarch butterfly",

abstract = "We present the first evidence that transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn pollen naturally deposited on Asclepias syriaca; common milkweed, in a corn field causes significant mortality of Danaus plexippus L. (Lepidoptera: Danaidae) larvae. Larvae feeding for 48 h on A. syriaca plants naturally dusted with pollen from Bt corn plants suffered significantly higher rates of mortality at 48 h (20±3%) compared to larvae feeding on leaves with no pollen (3±3%), or feeding on leaves with non-Bt pollen (0%). Mortality at 120 h of D. plexippus larvae exposed to 135 pollen grains/cm2 of transgenic pollen for 48 h ranged from 37 to 70%. We found no sub-lethal effects on D. plexippus adults reared from larvae that survived a 48-h exposure to three concentrations of Bt pollen. Based on our quantification of the wind dispersal of this pollen beyond the edges of agricultural fields, we predict that the effects of transgenic pollen on D. plexippus may be observed at least 10 m from transgenic field borders. However, the highest larval mortality will likely occur on A. syriaca plants in corn fields or within 3 m of the edge of a transgenic corn field. We conclude that the ecological effects of transgenic insecticidal crops need to be evaluated more fully before they are planted over extensive areas.",

keywords = "Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt corn, Danaus plexippus, Risk assessment, Transgenic pollen",

author = "{Hansen Jesse}, {Laura C.} and Obrycki, {John J.}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements We thank Dr. Orley Taylor, University of Kansas, for D. plexippus eggs, plant material, and guidance in rearing D. plexippus, Dr. Les Lewis, USDA-ARS, for assistance with the O. nubilalis bioassay, Kari Jovaag and Daniel Nordman, Iowa State University, for assistance with statistical analysis, Dr. John Losey, Cornell University, and Dr. Thomas Baker, Iowa State University, for their critical review of an earlier version of this manuscript, Justin Grodnitzky and Jason Belden for help with the ELISA, and John Ohlfest for technical help. Laura Hansen was supported by a Graduate Research Assistantship from the Department of Entomology, Iowa State University and an EPA STAR Fellowship. Journal paper No. J-18503 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No. 3437, and supported by Hatch Act and State of Iowa funds.",

year = "2000",

doi = "10.1007/s004420000502",

language = "English",

volume = "125",

pages = "241--248",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Field deposition of Bt transgenic corn pollen

T2 - Lethal effects on the monarch butterfly

AU - Hansen Jesse, Laura C.

AU - Obrycki, John J.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements We thank Dr. Orley Taylor, University of Kansas, for D. plexippus eggs, plant material, and guidance in rearing D. plexippus, Dr. Les Lewis, USDA-ARS, for assistance with the O. nubilalis bioassay, Kari Jovaag and Daniel Nordman, Iowa State University, for assistance with statistical analysis, Dr. John Losey, Cornell University, and Dr. Thomas Baker, Iowa State University, for their critical review of an earlier version of this manuscript, Justin Grodnitzky and Jason Belden for help with the ELISA, and John Ohlfest for technical help. Laura Hansen was supported by a Graduate Research Assistantship from the Department of Entomology, Iowa State University and an EPA STAR Fellowship. Journal paper No. J-18503 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No. 3437, and supported by Hatch Act and State of Iowa funds.

PY - 2000

Y1 - 2000

N2 - We present the first evidence that transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn pollen naturally deposited on Asclepias syriaca; common milkweed, in a corn field causes significant mortality of Danaus plexippus L. (Lepidoptera: Danaidae) larvae. Larvae feeding for 48 h on A. syriaca plants naturally dusted with pollen from Bt corn plants suffered significantly higher rates of mortality at 48 h (20±3%) compared to larvae feeding on leaves with no pollen (3±3%), or feeding on leaves with non-Bt pollen (0%). Mortality at 120 h of D. plexippus larvae exposed to 135 pollen grains/cm2 of transgenic pollen for 48 h ranged from 37 to 70%. We found no sub-lethal effects on D. plexippus adults reared from larvae that survived a 48-h exposure to three concentrations of Bt pollen. Based on our quantification of the wind dispersal of this pollen beyond the edges of agricultural fields, we predict that the effects of transgenic pollen on D. plexippus may be observed at least 10 m from transgenic field borders. However, the highest larval mortality will likely occur on A. syriaca plants in corn fields or within 3 m of the edge of a transgenic corn field. We conclude that the ecological effects of transgenic insecticidal crops need to be evaluated more fully before they are planted over extensive areas.

AB - We present the first evidence that transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn pollen naturally deposited on Asclepias syriaca; common milkweed, in a corn field causes significant mortality of Danaus plexippus L. (Lepidoptera: Danaidae) larvae. Larvae feeding for 48 h on A. syriaca plants naturally dusted with pollen from Bt corn plants suffered significantly higher rates of mortality at 48 h (20±3%) compared to larvae feeding on leaves with no pollen (3±3%), or feeding on leaves with non-Bt pollen (0%). Mortality at 120 h of D. plexippus larvae exposed to 135 pollen grains/cm2 of transgenic pollen for 48 h ranged from 37 to 70%. We found no sub-lethal effects on D. plexippus adults reared from larvae that survived a 48-h exposure to three concentrations of Bt pollen. Based on our quantification of the wind dispersal of this pollen beyond the edges of agricultural fields, we predict that the effects of transgenic pollen on D. plexippus may be observed at least 10 m from transgenic field borders. However, the highest larval mortality will likely occur on A. syriaca plants in corn fields or within 3 m of the edge of a transgenic corn field. We conclude that the ecological effects of transgenic insecticidal crops need to be evaluated more fully before they are planted over extensive areas.

KW - Bacillus thuringiensis

KW - Bt corn

KW - Danaus plexippus

KW - Risk assessment

KW - Transgenic pollen

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033744844&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0033744844&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s004420000502

DO - 10.1007/s004420000502

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0033744844

SN - 0029-8549

VL - 125

SP - 241

EP - 248

JO - Oecologia

JF - Oecologia

IS - 2

ER -

Field deposition of Bt transgenic corn pollen: Lethal effects on the monarch butterfly

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this