Diversity of arthropods in genetically modified BR and RR cotton crops in Northern Santa Fe.

SOSA, MARÍA ANA; VITTI, SCAREL, DANIELA. E.; ALMADA, MELINA S.

Buenos Aires

Simposio; 11th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE BIOSAFETY OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS; 2010

International Society for Biosafety Research

Genetically modified crops have been widely expanded within the agricultural systems in Argentina in the last few years. The production and marketing of cotton with two biotechnological events (MON 531 x MON 1445) resistant to Lepidoptera and glyphosate was authorized in Argentina in February 2009 (ArgenBio, 2007). The adoption of cotton BG / RR marks a turning point in the production of cotton and this is the first year of commercial production in our country, it is necessary to obtain information on abundance, richness and diversity of arthropods with stacked events for the environmental conditions the northern region of Santa Fe. The aim of this study was to determine the abundance, richness and diversity of arthropod present between genetically modified cotton crops BR and RR. This research work was carried out during the cotton season (2009-2010) in the field of Agricultural Experimental Station of INTA Reconquista, Santa Fe (Argentina), located at 29 ° 11 ´S and 59 ° 52´W. The experimental design was randomized complete block with five replications. The plot included 12 rows spaced 0.52 m by 15 m long. Treatments used were two GM varieties: 1) BR NuOpal Lepidoptera and herbicide-resistant and 2) G2000 RR herbicide resistant. Delinted seed to acid was used, treated with systemic insecticide and fungicide. Sowing was done in late December to test drill for conventional tillage. No pesticide application was made after planting; only was applied growth regulator and defoliant. Sampling of arthropods was conducted from February to April 2010, at 30, 60 and 90 days after emergence. For the survey of soil stratum, 2 pitfall traps with saline solution were placed per plot, separated by 6 m, during 7 days. For the aerial plant samples was used a G-Vac (garden-Vacuum). Two samples of G-Vac for each plot using a STIHL blower. Each sample by suction for one minute represents an area of one square meter. The collected material was preserved in individual containers with 70% ethyl alcohol, properly labeled and taken to the laboratory for further identification. Placed a total of 20 traps and 20 sites were aspired by sampling date. With individual data for each treatment per replication from pitfall trap and G-Vac were calculated H diversity indexes (Shannon) and r (richness) by using the PAST program. InfoStat/P (Di Rienzo et al, 2010) as statistical software was used to perform variance analysis, and averages were compared with Tukey test (α <= 0.05). We captured a total of 14,469 arthropods. Using pitfall traps were captured 7705 individuals while 6864 with the G-Vac, In the pitfall tramps, the most abundant were the ants (66%), collembolans (12%) and Diptera (10%), while the G-Vac were aphids (67%) and Diptera (17%). No differences were found between treatments for both indexes (H r), however the mean values were always higher in G2000 wealth. Diversity indexes were found: H = 2.23 (NuOpal BR) and H = 2.22 (G2000) G-Vac and H = 1.48 (NuOpal BR) and H = 1.41 (G2000) with traps fall. The richness index values that were found r = 25.60 (G2000) and r = 22.20 (NuOpal BR) with G-Vac while in pitfall traps were r = 34.80 (G2000) and r = 30,20 (NuOpal BR). According to the results obtained in this growing season, the diversity and richness of arthropods present in the crop would not be affected by using varieties with two events (resistant to lepidopteran and herbicides) compared with varieties with only one event (herbicide resistant). References ArgenBio, 2007. Cultivos aprobados y adopción.   http://www.argenbio.org/index.php?action=cultivos&opt=5 Di Rienzo J.A., Casanoves F., Balzarini M.G., Gonzalez L., Tablada M., Robledo C.W. InfoStat versión 2010. Grupo InfoStat, FCA, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina. Øyvind Hammer, D.A.T. Harper, P.D. Ryan. 2009. PAST – PALaeontological STAtistics, ver. 1.89.