Sibin Wang

Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources (HITAR), Tropical Animal Resources Research Center, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China
Author    Correspondence author
Bt Research, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 2   doi: 10.5376/bt.2024.15.0009
Received: 20 Feb., 2024    Accepted: 20 Mar., 2024    Published: 18 Apr., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

The ecological impact of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crops on non-target invertebrates has been a subject of extensive research and debate. This study synthesizes findings from multiple studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of the effects of Bt crops on non-target invertebrate populations. Meta-analyses indicate that non-target invertebrates are generally more abundant in Bt crop fields compared to non-transgenic fields managed with insecticides, although certain taxa are less abundant in Bt fields compared to insecticide-free control fields. Laboratory and field studies reveal that Bt crops have varying impacts on non-target Lepidoptera, with some species showing adverse effects under laboratory conditions, while field studies often report minimal impacts. The presence of Bt proteins in soil and their potential effects on soil-dwelling organisms, such as earthworms, have also been investigated, with findings suggesting no deleterious effects on growth and reproduction. Additionally, the coexistence of Bt and conventional crops can influence insect abundance and plant fitness, with Bt crops providing benefits by reducing target insect populations and thereby enhancing the growth of non-transgenic plants. Despite these findings, the long-term ecological risks and the potential for resistance development in target pests remain areas of concern that require ongoing monitoring and research. This study underscores the importance of evidence-based risk assessments and the need for more ecologically realistic studies to fully understand the ecological implications of Bt crop cultivation.

Bt crops; Non-target invertebrates; Ecological impact; Resistance development; Soil-dwelling organisms