Arthropods biodiVersity indeX in BOLLGard® cotton (Cry1Ac) in BraZIL Danielle Thomazoni, Miguel Ferreira Soria, Paulo Eduardo Degrande, Odival Faccenda and Pierre Jean Silvie SUMMARY Shannon-Wiener’s diversity index (SWI) was used under un- get herbivores was significantly higher in Bt-cotton. The mean treated conditions of a cotton field during the 2006/2007 crop number of Anthonomus grandis (Boh.) and Edessa meditabun- season in the Cerrado region, Brazil. Comparison was carried da (Fabr.) adults were significantly higher in NuOpal® with the out between the transgenic NuOpal® (Bollgard®)(Cry1Ac) and whole plant sampling method. However, such differences were the non-transgenic isogenic variety DeltaOpal®. SWI was cal- not observed with the beat sheet method. For the natural ene- culated for target pests, non-target herbivores and predators mies, SWI and mean number of larvae and adults of the domi- groups. Two sampling methods were used: whole plant obser- nant predators did not show any significant difference between vation and beat sheet. As expected, the mean number of target Bt and non-Bt cotton. These results confirm the conservation pests, especially Pectinophora gossypiella (Saund.) and Ala- of some tritrophic interactions inside the Bt (untreated) cotton bama argillacea (Hübner), was significantly smaller in Bt cot- and contributes to a better sustainable management of non- ton. In the whole plant method sampling the SWI for non-tar- target pests by enhancement of their natural biological control. Introduction vironment. The biological di- of existing species (Hurlbert, modified and the species have versity in one biological com- 1971). The importance of the to adapt to the modifications, Biological communities munity has two components: use of diversity indexes is so as to contribute with the have a degree of organization species richness (existing spe- their application in monitoring conservation of biodiversity in that is represented by their cies number) and homogenei- studies of biological commu- agroecosystems (Southwood, specific abundance distribu- ty, which depends on the nities dynamics and structural 1995). tion or relative frequency of larger or smaller uniformity change detection, when the Genetically modified (GM) the species present in the en- of the distribution frequency community environment is cotton varieties expressing the KEYWORDS / Bt-cotton / Cry1Ac / Diversity / Herbivores Non-Target / Predators / Shannon-Wiener’s Index / Received: 25/09/2012. Modified: 09/12/2013. Accepted: 12/12/2013. Danielle Thomazoni. Biologist Leste, MT, Brazil. 78850-000. Paulo Eduardo Degrande. Agron- Universidade Estadual de Mato and Ph.D. in Sciences (Ento- e-mail: daniellethomazoni@ omist and Ph.D. in Sciences Grosso do Sul, Brazil. mology), Universidade Federal imamt.com.br (Zoology), Universidade de São Pierre Jean Silvie. Biologist and de Grande Dourados (UFGD), Miguel Ferreira Soria. Agrono- Paulo, Brazil. Professor, UFGD, Ph.D. in Entomology, Centre de Brazil. Research Entomologist, mist and Ph.D. in Vegetal Pro- Brazil. Coopération Internationale en Instituto Mato-grossense do duction, UFGD, Brazil. Re- Odival Faccenda. Mathematician Recherche Agronomique Pour le Algodão (IMAmt), Brazil. Ad- search Entomologist, IMAmt, and Ph.D. in Agronomy (Energy Dévelopment (CIRAD), France. dress: Rodovia BR 070 Km Brazil. in Agriculture), Universidade Research Entomologist, CIRAD, 265, Campo Experimental, Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mes- Montpellier, France. Zona Rural, Primavera do quita Filho, Brazil. Professor, DEC 2013, VOL. 38 Nº 12 0378-1844/13/12/849-08 $ 3.00/0 849 Índice de biodiVersidad de artrÓpodOS en ALGodÓN BOLLGard® (Cry1Ac) CULTIVADO en LA REGIÓN de cerrado en BrasiL Danielle Thomazoni, Miguel Ferreira Soria, Paulo Eduardo Degrande, Odival Faccenda y Pierre Jean Silvie RESUMEN El índice de biodiversidad de Shannon-Wiener’s (ISW) fue Bt. El ISW para los insectos plagas fue significativamente ma- utilizado en áreas dedicadas al cultivo de algodón no tratadas yor en algodón Bt con el método de planta entera, en tanto que insecticidas. El trabajo se realizó en áreas algodoneras locali- la media poblacional de adultos de Anthonomus grandis (Boh.) zadas en la región de Cerrado, Brasil. Se comparó el algodón y Edessa meditabunda (Fabr.) fue mayor en NuOpal® usando transgénico NuOpal® (Bollgard®)(Cry1Ac) con la isolínea no el mismo método. No obstante, esta diferencia no fue observa- transgénica DeltaOpal®. El índice de biodiversidad fue cal- da con el método de paño de sacudida. Por otra parte, el ISW, culado para todos los insectos presentes en el agroecosistema para los enemigos naturales y el valor de la media poblacional algodonero, incluyendo los insectos plagas de la variedad Bt, de larvas y adultos de los predadores dominantes no presenta- convencionales y enemigos naturales. Los métodos de muestreo ron diferencia significativa entre el algodón Bt y el convencio- utilizados fueron el uso del paño de sacudida y la planta entera. nal. Estos resultados corroboran la conservación de las interac- Como era previsible, el valor promedio calculado de las plagas, ciones tritróficas en el algodón Bt (no tratado con insecticidas) específicamente Pectinophora gossypiella (Saund.) and Alabama y aporta nuevos elementos técnicos para manejo integrado de argillacea (Hübner), fue significativamente menor en el algodón insectos con énfasis en su control biológico natural. Índice DE biodiVersidade DE artrÓpodes em ALGodÃO BOLLGard® (Cry1Ac) no brasiL Danielle Thomazoni, Miguel Ferreira Soria, Paulo Eduardo Degrande, Odival Faccenda e Pierre Jean Silvie RESUMO O índice de diversidade de Shannon-Wiener (ISW) foi utili- maior em algodão Bt. O número médio de adultos de Antho- zado em condições de cultivo de algodoeiro não tratado, sem nomus grandis (Boh.) e Edessa meditabunda (Fabr.) foi signifi- aplicação de inseticidas durante a safra 2006/2007 no Cer- cativamente maior em NuOpal® utilizando o método de amos- rado, Brasil. Foi realizada comparação entre NuOpal® (Boll- tragem de planta inteira. Entretanto, esta mesma diferença não gard®)(Cry1Ac) e sua isolinha não transgênica. O índice foi foi observada com o método do pano de batida. Para inimi- calculado para pragas-alvo do algodão Bt, pragas não-alvo gos naturais, o ISW e o número médio de larvas e adultos de e inimigos naturais. Foram utilizados dois métodos de amos- predadores dominantes não apresentou diferença signficativa tragem: planta inteira e pano de batida. Como esperado, o entre algodão Bt e não-Bt. Estes resultados confirmam a con- número médio de pragas-alvo, especialmente Pectinophora servação de algumas interações tritróficas dentro do sistema gossypiella (Saund.) e Alabama argillacea (Hübner), foi signifi- algodão Bt (não pulverizado) e contribui para um manejo de cativamente menor em algodão Bt. Na amostragem por planta herbívoros não-alvo sustentável pelo incremento do seu contro- inteira, o ISW para herbívoros não-alvo foi significativamente le biológico natural. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and reduction of the risks to tween Bt and non-Bt cotton Bt and non-Bt cotton, consti- Cry1Ac protein (NuOpal® and human health (Shelton et al., was shown by Li et al. tuting a basis for the regula- DP90B) were introduced com- 2002; Naranjo, 2009). Another (2002), or an increase in the tion of population dynamics mercially in Brazil during the aspect is the promotion and arthropod communities diver- of insect pests and the dam- 2006/2007 crop season. the preservation of natural sity and pest sub-communi- age caused by such pests. Knowledge about the non- enemies, contributing to inte- ties (Men et al., 2003). In This paper presents the first target species (herbivores and grate pest management sys- Brazil, Ramiro and Faria study of biodiversity of non- natural enemies) present in tems with a strong biological (2006) observed no signifi- target herbivores and natural the Bt-cotton in different field control component and assess- cant differences in the total enemies (mainly predators) conditions is still incipient in ment of risk of Bt-cotton to predator specimens collected sampled with two methods: Latin America, in spite of the non-target arthropods, leading from Bollgard® cotton as whole plant and beat sheet, in economic importance of to a sustainable production compared to treatments with the Brazilian Cerrado Biome knowing the biological diver- and preserving the environ- Delta Pine Acala 90, with or (Savannah) region, Mato sity and maintaining a bio- ment (Romeis et al., 2006; without chemical control of Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. logical control during the in- 2008; Sarvjeet, 2012). caterpillars. A faunistic analysis of the troduction of GM crops (Ro- There are few published The objective of this re- genera and species found on meis et al., 2008; Lovei et al., studies conducted about the search was to study the ar- Bt-cotton compared with non 2009; Adenle, 2012). impact of the Bt-cotton vari- thropod biodiversity associat- Bt-cotton using the Shannon- Pest resistant GM varieties eties on the diversity of ar- ed with Bt-cotton (NuOpal®), Wiener’s index is discussed. were initially grown in coun- thropods, especially with re- as compared to the non-trans- tries such as the USA, Argen- spect to the values found in genic isogenic DeltaOpal® in Materials and Methods tina, Australia, China, Mexico diversity indexes, like the the absence of insecticide and South Africa, allowing Shannon-Wiener’s index. Us- sprays, promoting the knowl- This research was conduct-