Characterisation of adult green lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea) digestive physiology: impact of a cysteine protease inhibitor and a synthetic pyrethroid

BACKGROUND: In spite of concern regarding potential non‐target effects of GM crops, few studies have compared GM pest control with conventional methods. The impacts of cypermethrin and oilseed rape expressing oryzacystatin‐1 (OC‐1) were compared in this study on the predator Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens). RESULTS: Adults fed purified rOC‐1 showed a subtle shift in digestive protease profile, with an increasing reliance on serine proteases (chymotrypsin), increase in aspartic proteases and a slight reduction in elastase activity. Although there were no effects on mortality, onset of oviposition was delayed; however, once egg production commenced, egg laying and hatching success rates were comparable with those of controls. Oryzacystatin‐1 expressed in pollen showed no detrimental effects. Cypermethrin had no effect on mortality owing to high levels of non‐specific esterase activity resulting in partial breakdown of the insecticide. In spite of this, there was a significant delay in onset of oviposition and a significant reduction in egg production and viability. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the potential for pest management to impact on predators, but importantly it highlights the ability of the predator to detoxify/respond to treatments with different modes of action. In this case, exposure to an insecticide carried a greater fitness cost than exposure to a protease inhibitor expressed in transgenic crops. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry