Environmental interaction data for use in environmental risk assessment of insect-protected soybean

A comparative assessment of non-target arthropod (NTAs) abundance and damage was conducted for soybean expressing proteins (δ-endotoxin) derived from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki providing protection from feeding damage caused by certain lepidopteran insect pests. Data were collected from field trials conducted in 2012 at seven sites within the soybean production regions of the United States and Argentina. The study design was a randomized complete block design with four replicates. Arthropod assessments were conducted five times for NTA abundance and 1-2 times for NTA damage during the growing season under natural infestation pressure at each site. Results from these studies demonstrated that insect-protected soybean does not have adverse effects on various NTAs that are representative of potentially exposed taxonomic and functional groups.