Effect of Bt-cotton on chrysopids, ladybird beetles and their prey: aphids and whiteflies.
Indian J Exp Biol
;
2007 Jun; 45(6): 554-62
Article
in English
| IMSEAR
| ID: sea-57923
ABSTRACT
The effect of Bt-cotton, i.e. genetically modified cotton that contain genes expressing delta-endotoxin, on aphid, whitefly, chrysopid and coccinellid populations was determined with a two-year field study at a cotton farm near Marble Hall, South Africa. Although Bt-cotton is lepidopteran specific, non-lepidopteran arthropod populations may be indirectly influenced by the endotoxin. Abundance of aphid, whitefly, chrysopid and coccinellid populations and predator-prey interactions were used as measures to determine possible effects on the populations under investigation. The cultivation of Bt-cotton had no effect on aphid, whitefly, chrysopid or coccinellid abundance. Positive density dependent interactions occurred between aphids and coccinellids which were not influenced by Bt-cotton. A significant relationship between whitefly and coccinellid abundance, i.e. predator-prey reaction, occurred in the control and sprayed non-Bt cotton fields but was absent from the Bt-cotton fields.
Full text:
Available
Index:
IMSEAR (South-East Asia)
Main subject:
Aphids
/
Coleoptera
/
Population Density
/
Plants, Genetically Modified
/
Ecosystem
/
Gossypium
/
Food Chain
/
Diptera
/
Endosulfan
/
Hemiptera
Language:
English
Journal:
Indian J Exp Biol
Year:
2007
Type:
Article
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