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Lack of lethal and sublethal effects of Cry1Ac Bt-toxin on larvae of the stingless bee Trigona spinipes

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Abstract

Stingless bees, particularly Trigona spinipes, are important pollinators in tropical ecosystems and are potentially affected by environmental contaminants. In this study, we tested the possible negative effects on T. spinipes larvae of the ingestion of a diet contaminated with Cry1Ac Bt-toxin. This toxin is expressed in genetically modified cotton plants. A method of rearing stingless bee larvae is described in this paper. The larvae were provided with either pure larval diet, diluted larval diet, or larval diet diluted in a Cry1Ac solution compatible with the lethal pest-exposure level (50 μg/mL). Cry1Ac ingestion did not impair the development of worker larvae, but the diluted diet slightly increased larval mortality. These results indicate that harmful effects on stingless bee larvae due to the ingestion of pollen-expressed Cry1Ac toxin are unlikely under field conditions.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the members of the EMBRAPA Genetic Resources and Biotechnology Center, especially Drs. E. Fontes and E. Sujii, for fruitful discussions. Comments by Professor S.C. Dias, Catholic University of Brasília, substantially improved the first version of the manuscript. We also acknowledge E. Y. T. Nakasu and M. S. Lara for helping to rear the caterpillars and the stingless bee larvae. The comments and suggestions provided by the editor and two anonymous reviewers were greatly appreciated. The study was sponsored by the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and the Minas Gerais State Foundation for Research Aid (FAPEMIG).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-000, Brazil

    Maria Augusta P. Lima

  2. EMBRAPA Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Pq Estação Biológica, Asa Norte, Cx. Postal 02372, Brasília, DF, 70849-970, Brazil

    Carmen Silvia S. Pires

  3. Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-000, Brazil

    Raul Narciso C. Guedes

  4. Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-000, Brazil

    Lucio Antonio O. Campos

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  1. Maria Augusta P. Lima
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  2. Carmen Silvia S. Pires
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  3. Raul Narciso C. Guedes
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  4. Lucio Antonio O. Campos
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Correspondence to Maria Augusta P. Lima.

Additional information

Manuscript editor: Monique Gauthier

Pas d’effets létal ou sublétal de la toxine-Bt Cry1Ac observés sur les larves de l’abeille sans aiguillon, Trigona spinipes

Toxine de Bacillus thuringiensis / plante transgénique / impact environnemental / pollinisateur indigène / évaluation des risques

Cry1Ac Bt-toxin hat keine letalen oder subletalen Effekte auf Larven der stachellosen Biene Trigona spinipes

Bacillus thuringiensis -Toxin / transgene Pflanzen / Umwelteinwirkung / einheimische Bestäuber / Risikoabschätzung

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Lima, M.A.P., Pires, C.S.S., Guedes, R.N.C. et al. Lack of lethal and sublethal effects of Cry1Ac Bt-toxin on larvae of the stingless bee Trigona spinipes . Apidologie 44, 21–28 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-012-0151-z

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