Abstract
Summary Plant‐parasitic nematodes are important pests of agriculture and transgenic plants with potential for nematode control are currently being developed. The expression of cysteine proteinase inhibitors (cystatins) in potato confers partial resistance to potato‐cyst nematode (PCN). Here, we used field studies to test for effects of cystatin‐expressing potato on non‐target soil organisms. Microbial community structure, soil microarthropods and litter decomposition were studied during two growing seasons. In the second year, nematode control options of cystatin‐expressing plants and an oxime carbamate nematicide application were compared for their non‐target effects. In the first year, the transgenic lines had no effect on the abundance, evenness or metabolic activity of the soil microbial community as determined by ester‐linked phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA). However, one transgenic line (D6/7) influenced the structure of the soil microbial community. PLFA suggested it favoured fungal growth relative to bacterial growth during the latter parts of the growing season. A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN. It reduced the abundance of the fungal fatty acid 18 : 2ω6 in late season, suggesting a suppression of fungal growth. In the second year PLFA analysis suggested microbial abundance was reduced by 15% and 23% in the nematicide and transgenic treatments, respectively, relative to the control. Nematicidal treatment reduced the bacterial fraction of the microbial community, whereas the transgenic plants suppressed both the bacterial and fungal community components. The observed changes in soil microbial community structure did not result in changes in the rate of leaf litter decomposition. The transgenic lines had no significant effect on the abundance of soil microarthropods or free‐living nematodes. The study is the first stage of a risk assessment of the impact of transgenic nematode resistance on non‐target soil organisms. It has highlighted the importance of including currently used management options when studying the effect of transgenic plants on non‐target organisms. Both nematicide use and the transgenic plants affected components of the soil microbial community. However, the changes brought about by the two treatments were not sufficient to affect soil functioning, as measured by rates of litter decomposition.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
Cystatin expression conferred partial resistance to potato-cyst nematode.
- Taxon
- potato
Solanum tuberosume0 - Treatment
- expression of cysteine proteinase inhibitors (cystatins)e0
- Interactor
- potato‐cyst nematodee0pest
- Outcome
- partial resistancee0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The expression of cysteine proteinase inhibitors (cystatins) in potato confers partial resistance to potato‐cyst nematode (PCN).”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
Claim · model-written summary
Transgenic lines had no effect on microbial abundance, evenness or metabolic activity in year one.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- transgenic linese0
- Outcome
- abundance, evenness or metabolic activity of the soil microbial communitye0
- Direction
- no effecte0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the transgenic lines had no effect on the abundance, evenness or metabolic activity of the soil microbial community”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
Claim · model-written summary
D6/7 changed soil microbial community structure.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Material
- D6/7e0
- Treatment
- one transgenic line (D6/7)e0
- Outcome
- structure of the soil microbial communitye0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“one transgenic line (D6/7) influenced the structure of the soil microbial community”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
Claim · model-written summary
D6/7 favored fungal growth relative to bacterial growth late in the season.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Material
- D6/7e1
- Treatment
- transgenic linet1
- Outcome
- fungal growthe0
- Direction
- favourede0
- Qualifier
- latter parts of the growing seasone0
- Comparator
- bacterial growthe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“it favoured fungal growth relative to bacterial growth during the latter parts of the growing season”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
e1“one transgenic line (D6/7) influenced the structure of the soil microbial community”
Claim · model-written summary
D5/13 was more effective against PCN.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Material
- D5/13e0
- Interactor
- PCNe0pest
- Outcome
- more effective against PCNe0
- Direction
- more effectivee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
Claim · model-written summary
D5/13 reduced fungal fatty acid 18 : 2ω6 late in the season.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Material
- D5/13t1
- Treatment
- transgenic linet1
- Outcome
- abundance of the fungal fatty acid 18 : 2ω6e0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Qualifier
- late seasone0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“It reduced the abundance of the fungal fatty acid 18 : 2ω6 in late season”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
Claim · model-written summary
Nematicide reduced microbial abundance by 15% relative to control.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- nematicidee0
- Outcome
- microbial abundancee0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Value
- 15%e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“microbial abundance was reduced by 15% and 23% in the nematicide and transgenic treatments, respectively, relative to the control”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
Claim · model-written summary
Transgenic treatment reduced microbial abundance by 23% relative to control.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- transgenic treatmentse0
- Outcome
- microbial abundancee0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Value
- 23%e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“microbial abundance was reduced by 15% and 23% in the nematicide and transgenic treatments, respectively, relative to the control”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
Claim · model-written summary
Nematicide reduced the bacterial fraction of the soil microbial community.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- Nematicidal treatmente0
- Outcome
- bacterial fraction of the microbial communitye0
- Direction
- reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Nematicidal treatment reduced the bacterial fraction of the microbial community”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
Claim · model-written summary
Transgenic potatoes suppressed both bacterial and fungal community components.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- transgenic plantse0
- Outcome
- bacterial and fungal community componentse0
- Direction
- suppressede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the transgenic plants suppressed both the bacterial and fungal community components”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
Claim · model-written summary
Microbial community changes did not change leaf litter decomposition rate.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Outcome
- rate of leaf litter decompositione0
- Direction
- did not result in changese0
- Qualifier
- observed changes in soil microbial community structuree0
- Setting
- soile0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The observed changes in soil microbial community structure did not result in changes in the rate of leaf litter decomposition.”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
Claim · model-written summary
Transgenic lines had no significant effect on soil microarthropod abundance.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- transgenic linese0
- Outcome
- abundance of soil microarthropodse0
- Direction
- no significant effecte0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The transgenic lines had no significant effect on the abundance of soil microarthropods or free‐living nematodes.”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
Claim · model-written summary
Transgenic lines had no significant effect on free-living nematode abundance.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- transgenic linese0
- Outcome
- abundance of soil microarthropods or free‐living nematodese0
- Direction
- no significant effecte0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The transgenic lines had no significant effect on the abundance of soil microarthropods or free‐living nematodes.”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend including current management options in evaluations of transgenic plant effects.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Outcome
- including currently used management optionse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“It has highlighted the importance of including currently used management options when studying the effect of transgenic plants on non‐target organisms.”
t0“potato”
t1“A second transgenic line (D5/13) was more effective against PCN.”
The same questions in other papers
transgenic · disease · Solanum tuberosum (potato)Positive and negative results
14 papers in the same direction as this paper · 3 in the opposite direction
- negative
- negative
- no effect
14 papers more in this group
See all 18 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.