Effects of Bt cabbage (Brassica oleracea) on the host preference and performance of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae Sulzer (Hemiptera: Aphididae) = Bt 양배추가 복숭아혹진딧물의 발육과 기주선택에 미치는 영향

Abstract

Transgenic crops that produce insecticidal toxins have a great potential for controlling target pest insects, but there is a growing concern about unintended influences on non-target species. In the present study, the preferences and performance of non-target green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), on transgenic cabbages (Brassica oleracea) that produce Bt toxin (Cry1Ac1) and untransformed control plants were investigated as a part of risk assessment. In a free-choice situation, the number of nymphs larviposited by 10 winged adults over 3 days was 21.9±1.8 and 22. 5±2.2 on transgenic and the control plants, respectively, indicating that the aphids did not discriminate between the two types of plants. In a performance assay, the development time (D) and intrinsic rate of increase (rm) of wingless aphids reared on transgenic and control plants were also similar (D, 5.8±0.2 and 5.9±0.1 (days) and rm, 0.7±0.1 and 0.8±0.1, for transgenic and control plants, respectively). These results suggest that M. persicae is not significantly affected by transgenic Bt cabbage.