Multigenerational effects of cultivating transgenic maize straw on earthworms: A combined laboratory and field experiment
The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) maize has aroused notable public concern related to the potential risks to soil fauna caused by the release of foreign proteins. In this study, the potential effects of cultivating the GM maize variety DBN9936, which exhibits the expression of the Cry1Ab...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014765132500209X |
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| author | Li Zhang Wenjing Shen Zhixiang Fang Laipan Liu Ruizong Jia Jingang Liang Biao Liu |
| author_facet | Li Zhang Wenjing Shen Zhixiang Fang Laipan Liu Ruizong Jia Jingang Liang Biao Liu |
| author_sort | Li Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) maize has aroused notable public concern related to the potential risks to soil fauna caused by the release of foreign proteins. In this study, the potential effects of cultivating the GM maize variety DBN9936, which exhibits the expression of the Cry1Ab and EPSPS proteins, on earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were evaluated under laboratory and field conditions. No significant differences in the survival, body weight, cocoon production, or hatching of earthworms fed GM or non-GM DBN318 maize were detected after three consecutive generations in a laboratory test. The enzymatic activity assay results revealed no significant differences in superoxide dismutase (SOD) or catalase (CAT) enzyme activity between the GM and non-GM maize varieties. Furthermore, exogenous Cry1Ab and EPSPS proteins were undetectable in the gut tissues of earthworms raised with GM maize straw. GM maize cultivation imposed no adverse effects on the species composition or density of soil earthworms in the two consecutive years during the field test, and the soil earthworm species, total number of earthworms and density of each earthworm species did not significantly differ between the GM maize and non-GM maize lines. On the basis of our findings, we concluded that the cultivation of the GM maize variety DBN9936 does not pose a risk to earthworms. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d6e2cebb83514e689ed1725274f30b3b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0147-6513 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| spelling | doaj-art-d6e2cebb83514e689ed1725274f30b3b2025-02-12T05:30:23ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-02-01291117873Multigenerational effects of cultivating transgenic maize straw on earthworms: A combined laboratory and field experimentLi Zhang0Wenjing Shen1Zhixiang Fang2Laipan Liu3Ruizong Jia4Jingang Liang5Biao Liu6Key Laboratory on Biodiversity and Biosafety of Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China; State Environmental Protection Scientific Observation and Research Station for Ecology and Environment of Wuyi Mountains, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, ChinaKey Laboratory on Biodiversity and Biosafety of Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China; State Environmental Protection Scientific Observation and Research Station for Ecology and Environment of Wuyi Mountains, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, ChinaKey Laboratory on Biodiversity and Biosafety of Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China; State Environmental Protection Scientific Observation and Research Station for Ecology and Environment of Wuyi Mountains, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, ChinaKey Laboratory on Biodiversity and Biosafety of Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China; State Environmental Protection Scientific Observation and Research Station for Ecology and Environment of Wuyi Mountains, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, ChinaDevelopment Center of Science and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100176, ChinaHainan Key Laboratory for Biosafety Monitoring and Molecular Breeding in Off-Season Reproduction Regions, Sanya 571101, China; Corresponding author.Key Laboratory on Biodiversity and Biosafety of Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China; State Environmental Protection Scientific Observation and Research Station for Ecology and Environment of Wuyi Mountains, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China; Corresponding author at: Key Laboratory on Biodiversity and Biosafety of Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042, China.The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) maize has aroused notable public concern related to the potential risks to soil fauna caused by the release of foreign proteins. In this study, the potential effects of cultivating the GM maize variety DBN9936, which exhibits the expression of the Cry1Ab and EPSPS proteins, on earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were evaluated under laboratory and field conditions. No significant differences in the survival, body weight, cocoon production, or hatching of earthworms fed GM or non-GM DBN318 maize were detected after three consecutive generations in a laboratory test. The enzymatic activity assay results revealed no significant differences in superoxide dismutase (SOD) or catalase (CAT) enzyme activity between the GM and non-GM maize varieties. Furthermore, exogenous Cry1Ab and EPSPS proteins were undetectable in the gut tissues of earthworms raised with GM maize straw. GM maize cultivation imposed no adverse effects on the species composition or density of soil earthworms in the two consecutive years during the field test, and the soil earthworm species, total number of earthworms and density of each earthworm species did not significantly differ between the GM maize and non-GM maize lines. On the basis of our findings, we concluded that the cultivation of the GM maize variety DBN9936 does not pose a risk to earthworms.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014765132500209XTransgenic maizeEisenia fetidaDensityGrowthReproductionSpecies |
| spellingShingle | Li Zhang Wenjing Shen Zhixiang Fang Laipan Liu Ruizong Jia Jingang Liang Biao Liu Multigenerational effects of cultivating transgenic maize straw on earthworms: A combined laboratory and field experiment Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Transgenic maize Eisenia fetida Density Growth Reproduction Species |
| title | Multigenerational effects of cultivating transgenic maize straw on earthworms: A combined laboratory and field experiment |
| title_full | Multigenerational effects of cultivating transgenic maize straw on earthworms: A combined laboratory and field experiment |
| title_fullStr | Multigenerational effects of cultivating transgenic maize straw on earthworms: A combined laboratory and field experiment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multigenerational effects of cultivating transgenic maize straw on earthworms: A combined laboratory and field experiment |
| title_short | Multigenerational effects of cultivating transgenic maize straw on earthworms: A combined laboratory and field experiment |
| title_sort | multigenerational effects of cultivating transgenic maize straw on earthworms a combined laboratory and field experiment |
| topic | Transgenic maize Eisenia fetida Density Growth Reproduction Species |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014765132500209X |
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