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. 2011 May 23;2(2):243-52.
doi: 10.3390/insects2020243.

Effects of Consumption of Bt-maize (MON 810) on the Collembolan Folsomia candida, Over Multiple Generations: A Laboratory Study

Gábor Bakonyi  1 , Anna Dolezsai  2 , Norbert Mátrai  3 , András Székács  4
Affiliations

Effects of Consumption of Bt-maize (MON 810) on the Collembolan Folsomia candida, Over Multiple Generations: A Laboratory Study

Gábor Bakonyi et al. Insects. .

Abstract

The effect of long-term feeding on Bt-maize by collembolans in the laboratory is virtually unestablished. That is why the aim of the present study was to test whether the reproduction, fecal pellet production or food preference of the collembolan F. candida is affected when fed on Bt-maize for several consecutive generations. The collembolans were fed with Bt-maize for 0, 6, 16 and 22 months and the number of eggs and fecal pellets were determined. The experiment was repeated seven months later with the same populations. Food preference tests were additionally performed. Significant differences were found in food consumption, egg production and food preference between populations in some cases, but no time-response effect was observed. In conclusion, several generations feeding of F. candida on Cry1Ab toxin containing Bt-maize seems not to be harmful to this collembolan species.

Keywords: Bt-maize; Folsomia candida; food preference; life-history; long-term.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Average number of eggs per individuals (± SD) in F. candida populations fed continuously on Bt-maize for various numbers of months. Grey bars represent initial exposure (first set of experiments). White bars represent repeated exposure (second set of experiments). Different lower case letters in the same row indicate significant differences at p < 0.05. Bold lower case letters refers to grey bars, others to white ones. Number of months at the initial and repeated (in parenthesis) exposure are indicated on the x-axis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Average number of fecal pellets per individuals (±SD) in F. candida populations fed continuously on Bt-maize for various numbers of months. Grey bars represent initial exposure (first set of experiments). White bars represent repeated exposure (second set of experiments). Different lower case letters indicate significant differences at p < 0.05. Bold lower case letters refers to grey bars, others to white ones. Number of months at the initial and repeated (in parenthesis) exposure are indicated on the x-axis.
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