Monitoring Non-Target Arthropods in Hybrids with the Herculex® I Insect Protection Trait and Optimum® Intrasect® Maize Products: Overview of Global Field Trials

Non-target arthropod field studies have been used by DuPont Pioneer over the past decade to meet global regulatory requirements for environmental safety testing of genetically-modified (GM) crops. These studies evaluate potential effects that GM crop cultivation, specifically 1507 maize or 1507xMON810xNK603 maize (known as Herculex^® I trait and Optimum^® Intrasect^® products, respectively), may have on arthropod abundance compared to a conventional non-GM variety. Trials consisted of 1507 maize or 1507xMON810xNK603 maize grown in the field, along with conventional non-GM maize (negative control) and conventional non-GM maize treated with insecticide (positive control). Studies were typically planted at multiple sites with four blocks per site, 30x30 m plots, and sampling conducted in the center of each plot to minimize edge effects. Arthropod abundance was assessed by sampling methods including visual observations, yellow sticky traps, and pitfall traps, allowing for the collection of taxa from multiple feeding guilds. Linear mixed model analyses on taxa and statistical comparisons between 1507 maize and control maize, or 1507xMON810xNK603 maize and control maize, conducted at the significance level of 0.05 were used to analyze data. To date, DuPont Pioneer has completed non-target arthropod field studies in 12 countries to evaluate potential effects of 1507 maize or 1507xMON810xNK603 maize cultivation on non-target arthropods. Overall, no biologically relevant effects on sampled non-target arthropods were detected for 1507 maize or 1507xMON810xNK603 maize. These results have been consistent across all locations and confirm lack of effects observed during laboratory studies on non-target arthropods.

Keywords: Corn, non-target organism, Bt, Cry1F, Cry1Ab