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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #170799
Title: IMPACT OF BT CORN ON SOIL AND RHIZOSPHERE MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES

Author
item Blackwood, Christopher
item OAKS, ADAM - UNIV OF MARYLAND
item DIVELY, GALEN - UNIV OF MARYLAND
item Buyer, Jeffrey

Submitted to: American Society of Agronomy Meetings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/11/2004
Publication Date: 11/2/2004
Citation: Blackwood, C.B., Oaks, A., Dively, G., Buyer, J.S. 2004. Impact of Bt corn on soil and rhizosphere microbial communities [abstract]. American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting Abstracts [CDROM}. No. 5240.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The non-target effects of Bt corn on soil and rhizosphere microbial communities were studied in growth chamber and field experiments. Transgenic Bt and near-isogenic non-Bt corn lines were compared in various soil types. Substrate utilization assays, phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA), and paramagnetic bead-enabled terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (TRFLP) were performed. For TRFLP analysis PCR primers to specific phylogenetic groups, including Alpha and Beta proteobacteria, Bacilli, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Basidiomycetes, were developed and used. The substrate utilization assays detected a small effect of Bt corn in clay soil. The PLFA biomarker for eukaryotes was slightly reduced in some Bt treatments. The TRFLP analysis revealed a Bt effect on Actinobacteria, but only in one soil type. Overall, very little impact of transgenic Bt corn was seen on soil and rhizosphere microbial communities, although the communities were significantly affected by soil type.