Pest trade-offs in technology: reduced damage by caterpillars in Bt cotton benefits aphids.

ABSTRACT: The rapid adoption of genetically engineered (GE) plants that express insecticidal Cry proteins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has raised concerns about their potential impact on non-target organisms. This includes the possibility that non-target herbivores develop into pests. Although studies have now reported increased populations of non-target herbivores in Bt cotton, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. We propose that lack of herbivore-induced secondary metabolites in Bt cotton represents a mechanism that benefits non-target herbivores. We show that, because of effective suppression of Bt-sensitive lepidopteran herbivores, Bt cotton contains reduced levels of induced terpenoids. We also show that changes in the overall level of these defensive secondary metabo

SUBMITTER: Hagenbucher S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3619461 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature