The 11 year Spanish experience in transgenic maize cultivation Ramon Albajes, Xavier Pons, Matilde Eizaguirre, Carmen López and Belén Lumbierres Universitat de Lleida. Centre UdL-IRTA. Rovira Roure 191. 25198 LLeida. Catalonia. Spain Bt-toxins against Diabrotica: potential and prospective use in Europe Salzau castle, Germany, March 27, 2009
Contents: 1. Bt maize in Spain Surface of Bt maize in Spain Spanish regulations on Bt maize cultivation 2. Target and non-target pests of maize 3. Socioeconomic impact of Bt maize cultivation 4. Post market monitoring: issues involved Bt-resistance in corn borers Side effects for NTO 5. Laboratory and field trials: work developed in Spain BT maize and herbicide-tolerant crops Corn borer biology NTO trials
Surface of Bt maize in Spain 100000 80000 60000 ha 40000 20000 0 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 About 80% of Spanish Bt maize
Socioeconomic impact of Bt maize cultivation in Spain: a survey (2002-2004) 1 Among 402 farmers in 3 geographical areas 184 conventional growers 195 Bt growers 23 Bt + conventional Variables measured Economic impact Revenues: yields, harvest price Costs Gross margin Social effects: off-farm income and farm labour Environmental impact; insecticide use 1 Gómez-Barbero, M., Berbel, J., and Rodríguez-Cerezo, E. (2008) Bt corn in Spain-the performance of the EU s first GM crop. Nature Biotechnology 26, 384-386.
Economic impact of Bt maize: yield & harvest price (Gómez-Barbero et al. 2008) 0,14 0,13 0,12 0,11 /Kg Yield differences of Bt over conventional maize 14.0% 12.0% 10.0% 8.0% 6.0% 4.0% 2.0% 0.0% -2.0% 2002 2003 2004 0,1 Conventional maize Albacete Lleida Bt maize Zaragoza Bt+ conventional Year
Economic impact of Bt maize: production costs 25 20 15 10 5 0 Albacete Lleida Zaragoza % increase in seed cost 100 90 80 70 60 50 Albacete Lleida Zaragoza % reduction in cost of insecticides against maize borers (Gómez-Barbero et al., 2008)
Economic impact of Bt maize: gross margin PERIOD 2002/04 ALBACETE LLEIDA ZARAGOZA Yield increase (tons/ha) 0.04 0.73 1.10 Revenue increase Sales increase ( /ha) 4.77 95.23 142.71 Pesticide savings ( /ha) 9.50 4.50 20.05 Cost increase Seed cost increase ( /ha) 6.96 28.79 37.79 Gross margin difference ( /ha) 7.28 70.90 124.90 National average: 12 % increase in gross margin (Gómez-Barbero et al., 2008)
Target and non-target pests of maize Target pests: Corn borers: Sesamia nonagrioides Ostrinia nubilalis Non-target pests: 3 main groups Soil insects: soilworms, wireworms Sucking insects: leafhoppers, aphids Lepidopteran pests: M Mythimna unipuncta, Helicoverpa armigera
Target and non-target pests of maize Target pests: Corn borers: Sesamia nonagrioides Ostrinia nubilalis Non-target pests: 3 main groups Soil insects: soilworms, Wireworms No Diabrotica Sucking insects: leafhoppers, aphids Lepidopteran pests: M Mythimna unipuncta, Helicoverpa armigera
Spanish regulations on Bt maize cultivation Post market monitoring of effects on NTO Monitoring Bt-resistance development in corn borers No coexistence regulations until now (attempts and scientific data) Measures to prevent development of Btresistance in corn borer (only recommendations: 20% non-bt refuges in farms with>5 ha of maize)
Post market monitoring: issues involved Since 1998 post market monitoring plans are obligatory for any new GM variety registered for cultivation (5 years). They have been focused on: 1. Efficacy against target species 2. Development of Bt-resistance in target insects 3. Effects on non-target species Plant and soil-dwelling arthropods Soil microorganisms (event 176) Protocols of points 2 &3 developed by public organisms and sponsored by Min. of Education & Min. Environment UdL in Lleida CIB-CSIC in Madrid
Post market monitoring: protocol for Bt-resistance Spanish maize growing areas divided into 5 main regions Baseline susceptibility to Cry1Ab in Sesamia nonagrioides Ostrinia nubilalis González-Nuñez et al. 2000. J. Econ. Entomol. 93, 459-463. Each year the 5 populations are sampled (1999-2008) No development of Bt-resistance until now Farinós, et al. 2004.IOBC/WPRS Bull. 27 (3), 73-77. Development of resistance in the laboratory: Low/medium tolerance to Bt Cry1Ab Resistance alleles are rare (<10-3) for MCB & ECB in Spain & Greece Andreadis, et al. J. Econ. Entomol. 100, 195-201.
Post market monitoring: risks of Bt-resistance 75% of maize grown in the area Only one Cry: Cry 1Ab Non-Bt refuges recommended in a 20% (>5ha farms) : compliance?
Post market monitoring: protocol for Bt-resistance Spanish maize growing areas divided into 5 main regions Baseline susceptibility to Cry1Ab in Sesamia nonagrioides Ostrinia nubilalis González-Nuñez et al. 2000. J. Econ. Entomol. 93, 459-463. Each year the 5 populations are sampled (1999-2008) No development of Bt-resistance until now Farinós, et al. 2004.IOBC/WPRS Bull. 27 (3), 73-77. Development of resistance in the laboratory: Low/medium tolerance to Bt Cry1Ab Resistance alleles are rare (<10-3) for MCB & ECB in Spain & Greece Andreadis, et al. 2007. J. Econ. Entomol. 100, 195-201.
Post market monitoring: protocol for NT arthropods Field trials with a CR(4)B design Experimental plots of 0.5 ha with Bt & non-bt varieties and 7 sampling dates Three techniques are used to monitor non-target arthropods Visual counts on 15 plants per plot Non-target herbivores: soil insects. Homopterans. Lepidoptera Plant-dwelling predators Pitfall traps with 3 traps per plot Soil dwelling traps (detritivores?) Yellow sticky traps (optional) Parasitoids
Post market monitoring: some results (2005 & 2007) Arthropod group (n=46) Bt Treatment (T) non Bt F; P Year (Y) F; P Y*T F; P Orius spp. 1.23±1.42 1.28±1.63 0.00; 0.95 641 <0.001 0.26; 0.63 Nabis spp. 0.04±0.01 0.03±0.01 2.71; 0.16 0.00; 0.99 0.03; 0.87 Coccinellids 0.05±0.02 0.03±0.01 0.58; 0.48 2.92; 0.15 0.03; 0.88 Araneae 0.73±0.07a 0.63±0.07b 9.73; 0.03 1.02; 0.36 0.21; 0.67 Carabids 0.05±0.01 0.05±0.01 0.10; 0.76 3.23; 0.13 0.11; 0.76 Total predators 2.35±0.17 2.17±0.21 0.42; 0.54 7.29; 0.01 0.20; 0.66 1. Plant-dwelling predators
Post market monitoring: some results (2005 & 2007) Arthropod group (n=46) Carabids Dermapterans Araneae Total predators Bt 8.67±1.13 0.21±0.06 11.06±1.93 19.9±1.21 Treatment (T) non Bt 10.41±1.82 0.23±0.08 11.12±2.06 21.7±3.05 2. Soil-dwelling predators F; P 2.26; 0.19 0.15; 0.72 0.01; 0.92 1.74; 0.24 Year (A) F; P 144.8; <0.001 22.3; 0.001 14.9; 0.01 59.6; <0.001 Y*T F; P 4.04; 0.10 0.02; 0.88 1.7; 0.25 2.16; 0.20
Laboratory and field trials: Bt maize and herbicide-tolerant crops: Min. Environment and Min. Science Seed companies Corn borer biology Dispersal capacity Sub-lethal effects Insect-Bt relationships NTO trials Identification of k-nt arthropods: indicator species Exposure of NT arthropods to Bt toxins in the field Side effects on non-target arthropods
Some recent publications about GM maize in Spain: Albajes, R., Lumbierres, B. and Pons, X. 2009. Resposiveness of arthropods and their natural enemies to modified weed management in corn. Environ.Entomol. In press Farinós, G.P., De la Poza, M., Hernández-Crespo, P., Ortego, F., & Castañera, P. 2008. Diversity and seasonal phenology of aboveground arthropods in conventional and transgenic maize crops in Central Spain. Biological Control, 44, 362-371. Díaz-Mendoza, M., Farinós, G.P., Castañera, P., Hernández-Crespo, P. & Ortego, F., 2007). Proteolytic processing of native Cry1Ab toxin by midgut extracts and purified trypsins from the Mediterranean corn borer Sesamia nonagrioides. Journal of Insect Physiology, 53, 428-435. González-Cabrera, J., Farinós, G. P., Caccia, S., Díaz-Mendoza, M., Castañera, P., Leonardi, M. G., Giordana, B. & Ferré, J. 2006. Toxicity and mode of action of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry proteins in the Mediterranean corn borer, Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefebvre). Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 72, 2594-2600. Eizaguirre M., Albajes R., López C., Eras J., Lumbierres B, Pons X. 2006. Six years after the commercial introduction of Bt maize in Spain: field evaluation, impact and future prospects. Transgenic Research 15 (1) 1-12. Obrist LB, Dutton A, Albajes R, Bigler F. 2006. Exposure of arthropod predators to Cry1Ab toxin in Bt maize fields. Ecol. Entomol. 31(2): 143-154. Pons X, Lumbierres B, López C, Albajes R. 2005. Abundance of non-target pests in transgenic Btmaize: A farm scale study. Eur.J.Entomol. 102(1): 73-79. Eizaguirre M, López C, Albajes R. 2005. Sublethal effects of Bacillus thuringiensis on larval development in Sesamia nonagrioides. J.Econ.Entomol. 98(2): 237-247. De la Poza M, Pons X, Farinós GP, López C, Ortego F, Eizaguirre M, Castañera P, Albajes R. 2005. Impact of farm-scale Bt maize on abundance of predatory arthropods in Spain. Crop Protection 24( 7): 677-684. Eizaguirre, C., Lopez, C., and Albajes. R. 2004. Dispersal capacity in the Mediterranean Corn Borer Sesamia nonagrioides. Entomol.Exp.Appl. 113: 25-34 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION