Environmental Risk Assessment Finds GM Maize DP51291 Safe for Non-Target Organisms

An environmental risk assessment published in GM Crops & Food revealed that the genetically modified (GM) maize event DP-Ø51291-2 (DP51291), which produces the IPD072Aa protein to control corn rootworms, does not pose significant harm to non-target organisms in agricultural environments. The risk assessment examined potential exposure levels and possible hazards to a wide range of species, including pollinators, soil organisms, aquatic life, predators, parasitoids, birds, and mammals.

The assessments compared GM maize DP51291 with non-GM near-isoline controls and monitored the abundance, diversity, and evenness of non-target arthropod populations. The tests conducted showed no harmful effects at doses far exceeding expected environmental exposure levels. Non-target populations, such as honey bees, Lepidoptera species, and predatory insects, demonstrated high survival and no significant changes in development or behavior when exposed to the protein.

Field studies were conducted in three U.S. maize-growing regions (Illinois, Iowa, and Pennsylvania) to validate their findings. The study concluded that there were no significant differences observed across functional groups, including beneficial insects such as ladybird beetles, parasitic wasps, spiders, and springtails. The findings showed that cultivating GM maize DP51291 is unlikely to cause unreasonable adverse effects on non-target organisms.

For more information, read the study from GM Crops & Food.