home    about    browse    search    latest    help 
Login | Create Account

Simulating evolutionary responses of an introgressed insect resistance trait for ecological effect assessment of transgene flow: a model for supporting informed decisionmaking in environmental risk assessment

Meier, Matthias S.; Trtikova, Miluse; Suter, Matthias; Edwards, Peter J. and Hilbeck, Angelika (2013) Simulating evolutionary responses of an introgressed insect resistance trait for ecological effect assessment of transgene flow: a model for supporting informed decisionmaking in environmental risk assessment. Ecology and Evolution, 3 (2), pp. 416-423.

[thumbnail of Meier-etal-2013-EcolEvol-3-2-p416-423.pdf]
Preview
PDF - English
728kB

Document available online at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3586650/


Summary

Predicting outcomes of transgene flow from arable crops requires a system perspective that considers ecological and evolutionary processes within a landscape context. In Europe, the arable weed Raphanus raphanistrum is a potential hybridization partner of oilseed rape, and the two species are ecologically linked through the common herbivores Meligethes spp. Observations in Switzerland show that high densities of Meligethes beetles maintained by oilseed rape crops can lead to considerable damage on R. raphanistrum. We asked how increased insect resistance in R. raphanistrum – as might be acquired through introgression from transgenic oilseed rape – would affect seed production under natural herbivore pressure. In simulation experiments, plants protected against Meligethes beetles produced about twice as many seeds as unprotected plants. All stages in the development of reproductive structures from buds to pods were negatively affected by the herbivore, with the transition from buds to flowers being the most vulnerable. We conclude that resistance to Meligethes beetles could confer a considerable selective advantage upon R. raphanistrum in regions where oilseed rape is widely grown.


EPrint Type:Journal paper
Keywords:Apparent competition, crop–wild gene flow, Meligethes beetles, oilseed rape, Raphanus raphanistrum, transgenic plants, Sozioökonomie, Gentechnik
Subjects: Crop husbandry > Production systems > Cereals, pulses and oilseeds
Environmental aspects
Values, standards and certification > Regulation
Research affiliation: Switzerland > ETHZ - Agrarwissenschaften
Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > Society > Rural sociology
DOI:doi: 10.1002/ece3.463
Deposited By: Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau, FiBL
ID Code:24708
Deposited On:25 Nov 2013 22:40
Last Modified:22 Nov 2023 14:12
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Peer-reviewed and accepted

Repository Staff Only: item control page