Transgenic expression of Bt in rice does not affect feeding behavior and population density of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stal (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

摘要

The impact of the expression of Bacillus thuringiensis protoxins in the T1C-19 (cry1C) and T2A-1 (cry2A) transgenic rice strains on the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stal (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), was evaluated by comparing the population densities of N. lugens reared on the strains T1C-19 or T2A-1 or the parental non-Bt strain Minghui 63. Field investigations revealed that the population densities of N. lugens were similar among the T2A-1, T1C-19, and Minghui 63 rice fields. Further assessment of feeding behavior of N. lugens using electrical penetration graph (EPG) technology showed that all four strains are susceptible to N. lugens, which was evidenced by the non-significant difference in feeding behavior of N. lugens between the transgenic and non-transgenic rice plants. These results provide new evidence that Bt rice does not pose any risk on N. lugens which represents a key non-target pest species in Bt rice field in China.