title: The end of a myth-Bt (Cry1Ab) maize does not harm green lacewings.
abstract: A concern with Bt-transgenic insect-resistant plants is their potential to harm non-target organisms. Early studies reported that Cry1Ab-producing Bt maize and purified Cry1Ab harmed larvae of the green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea. Although these effects could not be confirmed in subsequent studies, some authors still refer to them as evidence that Bt maize harms beneficial species. We provide a comprehensive review of the studies evaluating the effects of Bt (Cry1Ab) maize on C. carnea. The evidence indicates that this important predator is not affected by Bt maize or by the produced Cry1Ab protein. We discuss how conceptual models can assist environmental risk assessments, and we emphasize the importance of robust and reproducible studies.
authors.affiliation: Agroscope, Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Romeis
authors.affiliation: Agroscope, Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meissle
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS, Arid Land Agricultural Research Center Maricopa, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Naranjo
authors.affiliation: Agroscope, Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS Zurich, Switzerland ; State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yunhe
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Agroscope, Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bigler
keywords: Chrysoperla carnea; environmental risk assessment; meta-analyses; non-target effects; study design