Belén Lumbierres

Transgenic Bt maize and Rhopalosiphum padi (Hom., Aphididae) performance

Abstract.  1. The population abundance and age structure of Rhopalosiphum padi, one of the most common maize aphid species, on transgenic Bt (expressing the Cry1Ab protein) and non‐Bt isogenic maize was studied in commercial plots during three crop seasons.

No effects of Bacillus thuringiensis maize on nontarget organisms in the field in southern Europe: a meta-analysis of 26 arthropod taxa

AbstractMaize with the insecticidal properties of the entomopathogenic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner, known as Bt maize, has been sown in Europe since 1998. For several years, EU and Spanish regulations have required laboratory and field trials to assess risks of genetically modified crops for nontarget organisms prior to their authorization. Thirteen field trials were conducted in Spain to measure the effects of Bt maize on a broad range of arthropod taxa; no effects were found in accordance with most literature records. However, statistical analyses of single trials rarely have the statistical power to detect low effect sizes if they do not have a sufficient sample size. When sample size is low, meta-analysis may improve statistical power by combining several trials and assuming a common measure of effect size. Here we perform a meta-analysis of the results of 13 independent field trials conducted in Spain in which effects of single or stacked Bt traits on several arthropod taxa were measured with no significant results. Since the taxa included in each single trial were not the same for all trials, for the meta-analysis we selected only those taxa recorded in a minimum of six trials, resulting finally in 7, 7, and 12 taxa analyzed in visual counts, pitfall traps and yellow sticky traps, respectively. In comparison with single trial analysis, meta-analysis dramatically increased the detectability of treatment effects for most of the taxa regardless of the sampling technique; of the 26 taxa analyzed, only three showed poorer detectability in the meta-analysis than the best recorded in the 13 single trials. This finding reinforces the conclusion that Bt maize has no effect on the most common herbivore, predatory and parasitoid arthropods found in the maize ecosystems of southern Europe.

Responsiveness of arthropod herbivores and their natural enemies to modified weed management in corn.

ABSTRACT Alteration of weed flora as consequence of the deployment of genetically modified herbicide-tolerant crops may affect higher trophic levels in agrosystems. A 4-yr study is being conducted in Spain to investigate interrelations between weeds and associated arthropods in corn fields. In a first step, the work aimed to detect the most responsive arthropods to weed management changes. To identify the most responsive arthropods, arthropod composition and abundance in herbicide-tolerant corn plots treated twice with glyphosate and untreated plots were compared for 2 yr. Plots were sampled seven times during the season by visual inspection and pitfall and yellow sticky traps to estimate abundance and activity of the main arthropod herbivores, predators, and parasitoids. As intended, the abundance and composition of weed flora was strongly altered by the differential herbicide treatments. Several groups of arthropods responded to the weed changes but in variable directions. Whereas leafhoppers and aphids were more abundant on herbicide-treated plots, the contrary was found for phytophagous thrips. Among predators, Orius sp., spiders, and trombidids were more abundant on treated plots, whereas nabids and carabids were more abundant in untreated plots; the same case was found for carabids and spiders caught in pitfall traps. Among parasitoids, ichneumonids were more abundant in untreated plots and mymarids in treated plots. These results cannot be interpreted in terms of nontarget effects of postemergence treatments with broad-spectrum herbicides; for this, a comparison with conventional weed management practices should be done and this is the current step in the study.

Opportunistic changes in the host range of Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cr.), an exotic aphid parasitoid expanding in the Iberian Peninsula

Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cr.), an exotic aphid parasitoid, but widespread along the West Mediterranean and Atlantic coastal areas, was regularly found in the northeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula parasitizing several aphid hosts, inland and in the Pyrenees. It was found that the environmentally induced restriction of available host species together with the opportunistic response and host alternation of the parasitoid contributed to the successful and on-going expansion and establishment of L. testaceipes from the coast to the inland montane areas of the Iberian Peninsula. Also, a comparison of the overall host range of L. testaceipes in several areas of the West Mediterranean/Atlantic (southern France, Spain, Portugal) demonstrated a rapid increase in the host range in these areas.

Seasonal parasitism of cereal aphids in a Mediterranean arable crop system

We monitored winter cereal fields in a Mediterranean arable crop system to obtain information about the aphid parasitoid species composition and the aphid–parasitoid interactions through the whole cropping cycle. Nine species of aphid primary parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Aphidiinae) were identified. The most abundant species were Aphidius rhopalosiphi, Aphidius matricariae, Aphidius ervi and Lysiphlebus testaceipes. The genus Aphelinus sp. (Hym., Aphelinidae) was also identified. We determined seasonal host–parasitoid associations over the entire cereal crop cycle. A number of new such associations were recorded, which were previously unknown in Spain and Europe. Our results indicated broad associations of L. testaceipes and A. matricariae with cereal aphids; furthermore, the association of Aphelinus sp. with several cereal aphid species was also substantial. In the NE of the Iberian Peninsula, the cereal aphid parasitoids that we identified are able to develop throughout the crop season on one or more host species. Thus, the main aphid species can be parasitized effectively throughout the entire cereal crop cycle. We discuss the role of cereal aphid parasitoids in the region in the context of our experimental results.

Parasitoid complex of alfalfa aphids in an IPM intensive crop system in northern Catalonia

Alfalfa aphids were monitored and aphid parasitism was determined in three crop-growing seasons (2007–2009) in commercial alfalfa fields in valleys close to the Pyrenees, where an intensive arable crop rotation is practised under non-tillage and an integrated pest management system. Acyrthosiphon pisum, Therioaphis trifolii, and Aphis craccivora were the aphid species colonizing alfalfa fields but their occurrence varied between years. Thirteen Aphidiinae parasitoid species and four Aphelinidae from the genus Aphelinus sp. were recorded. Aphidius ervi was the prevalent parasitoid species associated with A. pisum but Praon barbatum was also noticeable, especially during the first year. Trioxys complanatus and P. exsoletum were the only species associated with T. trifolii. Lysiphlebus fabarum was the prevalent parasitoid species associated with A. craccivora. The occurrence of Lysiphlebus testaceipes parasitizing A. craccivora on alfalfa is a new record for the study region because this parasitoid species had only been previously found on weeds. Only A. pisum and A. craccivora were parasitized by Aphelinus sp. Whereas A. abdominalis and A. semiflavus were associated with A. pisum, A. chaonia, and Aphelinus sp. nr. albipodus were associated with A. craccivora. Associations between aphid species and Aphidiinae or Aphelinidae parasitoid species emphasize that individual aphid species also possess individual parasitoid complexes (guilds) which do not interfere with each other in alfalfa. Alloxysta victrix, A. macrophadna, Alloxysta spp., Asaphes suspensus, A. vulgaris, Dendrocerus aphidum, Pachyneuron aphidis and Syrphophagus aphidivorus were the hyperparasitoids associated with aphid–parasitoid complexes. Our study showed A. ervi, T. complanatus, P. exsoletum, and L. fabarum as potential candidate species which could provide biological control of their respectively aphid hosts in alfalfa.

Ex-Ante Determination of the Capacity of Field Tests to Detect Effects of Genetically Modified Corn on Nontarget Arthropods

ABSTRACT Field trials may be required to assess risks of genetically modified crops (GMCs) for nontarget arthropods. One critical point of these trials is their capacity to detect differences between the density of one taxon in the GMC and that in the comparator. The detection capacity of a trial depends on the abundance and variability of the taxon, the values assumed for type I (&agr;) and II (&bgr;) errors, and the characteristics of the trial and statistical design. To determine the optimal trial layout and statistical analysis, 20 field trials carried out in Spain from 2000 to 2009 to assess risks of GMCs on nontarget arthropods were examined with &agr; and &bgr; fixed at 0.05 and 0.20, respectively. Under the experimental conditions tested, taxon variability is the most influential component determining test detection capacity; the maximum acceptable values of taxon variability to achieve a certain detection capacity were calculated for different numbers of replicates (blocks), treatments, and years. A close relationship between taxon variability and mean abundance in visual counts, pitfall traps, and yellow sticky traps allowed minimal critical abundance thresholds to be estimated to guarantee a certain detection capacity and to establish abundance criteria for selecting focal taxa. The number of replications (blocks), treatments, sites, and years has a lesser influence on detection capacity once minimal values in taxon abundance in field trials are ensured. Conclusions reached on the detection capacity of field trials with the experimental data obtained under Mediterranean conditions should be contrasted with those of other regions.

Effect of Bt maize on the plant-aphid–parasitoid tritrophic relationships

The effect of Bt maize on aphid parasitism and the aphid–parasitoid complex was measured in field conditions on three transgenic varieties, two derived from Event MON810 and one from Bt176, and their near-isogenics in a two-year study. No differences in aphid abundance were found between Bt maize varieties and their near-isogenics. Differences within Bt and within near-isogenic varieties were found, but only in one year. Differences in aphid abundance were probably better accounted for the variety background and year conditions than by the transgenesis or Event. Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson), Lipolexis gracilis Förster (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Aphidiinae) and Aphelinus sp. (Hymenoptera, Aphelinidae) were the prevalent parasitoids. Bt maize did not alter the aphid–parasitoid associations and had no effect on the aphid parasitism and hyperparasitism rates. The results suggest that Bt maize has no negative impact on second, third and fourth levels of the trophic relationships studied.

Representative taxa in field trials for environmental risk assessment of genetically modified maize.

When assessing the benefits and risks of transgenic crops, one consideration is their relative effects on non-target arthropod (NTA) abundance and functions within agroecosystems. Several laboratory and field trials have been conducted in Spain since the late 1990s to assess this issue. A consideration in the design of field trials is whether it is necessary to sample most NTAs living in the crop or only representative taxa that perform main ecological functions and have a good capacity to detect small changes in their abundance. Small changes in the field abundance of an effective representative taxon should be detectable using standard experimental protocols. The ability of a species to reveal differences across treatments may be analysed by examining the detectable treatment effects for surveyed non-target organisms. Analysis of data from several NTAs recorded in 14 field trials conducted over 10 years using complete block designs allowed us to select a number of representative taxa capable of detecting changes in the density or activity of arthropod herbivores, predators, parasitoids and decomposers in transgenic and non-transgenic maize varieties. The most suitable NTA as representative taxa (with detectable treatment effects below 50%) included leafhoppers among arthropod herbivores, Orius spp., Araneae, and Carabidae among predators, chalcidids, particularly the family Mymaridae, among parasitoids and Chloropidae as decomposer. Details of sampling techniques for each sampled taxa and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. It is concluded that abundance of taxa is the most influential factor determining their capacity to detect changes caused by genetically modified varieties.

Expansion of the aphid Myzocallis (Lineomyzocallis) walshii (Monell) on the red oak Quercus rubra, and adaptation of local parasitoids in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula (Hom., Aphididae, Calaphidinae; Hym., Braconidae, Aphidiinae)

An ongoing expansion of Myzocallis (L.) walshii (Monell) in the NE Iberian Peninsula was detected. The aphid species was recorded in Catalonia, Andorra and Navarra. Adaptation of local native parasitoids (at least Trioxys pallidus Haliday and T. tenuicaudus Starý) to the new immigrant was documented, together with background information on their host range in the native environments. The detection of parasitoids of M. walshii is the first published evidence in Europe. The new evidence for M. walshii in the NE Iberian Peninsula also supports the warning of the expansion of the aphid as a pest of Quercus rubra over Europe.