Risk assessment of genetically engineered rice Bt-9 resistant to Cnaphalocrocis medinalis: influence on above-ground arthropods in Korea

The effect of genetically engineered rice Bt-9 on the diversity and abundance of plant-dwelling insects and spiders was tested under field conditions. Genetically engineered rice Bt-9, expressing mCry1Ac1 from Bacillus thuringiensis, confers resistance to rice leaf roller (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis) and provides tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate (PPT). The study compared Bt-9 and two non-GM reference varieties, Ilmi-byeo and Dongjin-byeo, at LMO isolated fields in Gunwi (Kyungpook National University) and Jeonju (National Institute Agricultural Sciences) in Southern Korea in 2016 - 2017. A total of 40,817 individuals from 62 families and 11 orders were collected from the two living modified organism (LMO) isolated fields. From the three types of rice fields, a total of 13,982, 14,105, and 12,730 individuals from the Bt-9, Ilmi-byeo and Dongjin-byeo were collected, respectively. Throughout the study, the analysis of variance indicated no significant differences (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that the abundance and diversity of plant dwelling insects were similar. The data on insect species population densities were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA), which did not distinguish among the three varieties, Bt-9 and the non-GM, reference cultivars, during the cultivation years. However, the results of the PCA analysis were completely divided into four groups based on the yearly survey areas. Therefore, there was no evidence for a negative impact of Bt-9 on the above-ground insects and spiders.