Data from: Assessing potential impact of Bt eggplants on non-target arthropods in the Philippines

Studies on potential adverse effects of genetically engineered crops are
part of an environmental risk assessment that is required prior to the
commercial release of these crops. Of particular concern are non-target
organisms (NTOs) that provide important ecosystem services. Here, we
report on studies conducted in the Philippines over three cropping seasons
with Bt eggplants expressing Cry1Ac for control of the eggplant fruit and
shoot borer (EFSB), Leucinodes orbonalis, to examine potential effects on
field abundance, community composition, structure and biodiversity of
NTO’s, particularly non-target arthropod (NTA) communities. We document
that many arthropod taxa are associated with Bt eggplants and their non-Bt
comparators and that the number of taxa and their densities varied within
season and across trials. However, we found few significant differences in
seasonal mean densities of arthropod taxa between Bt and non-Bt eggplants.
As expected, a lower abundance of lepidopteran pests was detected in Bt
eggplants. Higher abundance of a few non-target herbivores was detected in
non-Bt eggplants as were a few non-target beneficials that might control
them. Principal Response Curve (PRC) analyses showed no statistically
significant impact of Bt eggplants on overall arthropod communities
through time in any season. Furthermore, we found no significant adverse
impacts of Bt eggplants on species abundance, diversity and community
dynamics, particularly for beneficial NTAs. These results support our
previous studies documenting that Bt eggplants can effectively and
selectively control the main pest of eggplant in Asia, the EFSB. The
present study adds that it can do so without adverse effects on NTAs.
Thus, Bt eggplants can be a foundational component for controlling EFSB in
an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program and dramatically reduce
dependence on conventional insecticides.