Effects of seed mixture sowing with transgenic Bt rice and its parental line on the population dynamics of target stemborers and leafrollers, and non ‐target planthoppers

In this study, we examined the potential effects of intra‐specific seed mixture sowing with transgenicBt rice (Bt) and its parental non ‐transgenic line (Nt) (100%Bt rice [Bt100], 5% Nt+95%Bt [Nt05Bt95], 10% Nt+90%Bt [Nt10Bt90], 20% Nt+80%Bt [Nt20Bt80], 40% Nt+60%Bt [Nt40Bt60] and 100% Nt rice [Nt100]) on target and non ‐target pests in a 2‐year field trial in southern China. The occurrence of target pests,Sesamia inferens,Chilo suppressalis andCnaphalocrocis medinalis, decreased with the increased ratio ofBt rice, and the mixture ratios with more than 90%Bt rice (Bt100 and Nt05Bt95) significantly increased the pest suppression efficiency, with the lowest occurrences of non ‐target planthoppers,Nilaparvata lugens andSogatella furcifera in Nt100 and Nt05Bt95. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in 1000 ‐grain dry weight and grain dry weight per 100 plants between Bt100 and Nt05Bt95. Seed mixture sowing ofBt rice with ≤10% (especially 5%) of its parent line was sufficient to overcome potential compliance issues that exist with the use of block or structured refuge to provide most effective control of both target and non‐target pests without compromising the grain yield. It is also expected that the strategy o f seed mixture sowing with transgenicBt rice and the non ‐transgenic parental line would provide rice yield stability while decreasing the insecticide use frequency in rice production.

Source: Insect Science - April 10, 2018 Category: Biology Authors: Zhuo Li, Li ‐Kun Li, Bin Liu, Long Wang, Megha N. Parajulee, Fa‐Jun Chen Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research