Chemische Pflanzenschutzmittel (PSM) bekämpfen nicht nur Schadorganismen, sondern haben aufgrund ihrer hohen Toxizität auch negative Auswirkungen auf Nicht-Ziel-Organismen. Die Fragestellung der Arbeit war es, ob mit reduzierten Anwendungen von PSM ihr Gefährdungspotenzial für Prädatoren von Schädlingen verringert und dadurch das Potenzial der natürlichen Schädlingsregulation erhöht wird. In dreijährigen Freilanduntersuchungen wurden die Effekte einer dauerhaft reduzierten Dosis von chemischen PSM auf die ökologische Situation im Ackerbau anhand von drei Fallbeispielen in einem konventionell bewirtschafteten Betrieb in der Magdeburger Börde untersucht. Drei über 15 ha große Felder wurden dauerhaft in zwei Teilflächen geteilt, wobei eine Teilfläche mit der vom Landwirt gewünschten Dosis (100 %-Variante) und die andere mit jeweils genau der halben Dosis (50 %-Variante) behandelt wurde. Mittels dieser Halbfelder-Vergleiche wurden die ökologischen Situationen bezüglich des Auftretens von Blattläusen und ihren Prädatoren sowie Unkräutern vor und nach der jeweiligen PSM-Behandlung aufgenommen und ökonomische Parameter ermittelt. Ergänzend wurden im Labor Modellgefäßversuche mit abgestuften Dosierungen von Insektiziden und Herbiziden durchgeführt. Die Insektizidbehandlung übte einen großen Einfluss auf die Blattläuse und ihre Prädatoren aus, während alle vorherigen Herbizid- und Fungizidbehandlungen zu keinen Unterschieden in der Abundanz der Blattläuse und ihrer Prädatoren zwischen beiden Varianten hervorriefen. Die reduzierte Insektiziddosis führte zu keiner guten Blattlauskontrolle, während die Abundanz der blattlausspezifischen Prädatoren positiv beeinflusst wurde. Die Araneae reagierten auf die reduzierte Dosis mit einer teilweise erhöhten Aktivitätsdichte und Artendiversität. Dagegen waren diesbezüglich keine eindeutigen Effekte auf die Carabidae festzustellen. Es traten keine strukturellen Veränderungen in Form einer erhöhten Unkrautdichte durch die reduzierte Herbiziddosis auf. Erste Hinweise auf mögliche langfristige Auswirkungen einer dauerhaft reduzierten PSM-Anwendung konnten nur bei der Verunkrautung und der Aktivitätsdichte der Araneae beobachtet werden. Blattläuse profitierten demnach mehr von der reduzierten Anwendung der PSM als ihre Prädatoren, so dass zwar das Potenzial der natürlichen Blattlausregulation erhöht, die Selbstregulation aber nicht verbessert wurde. Die geschonten Prädatoren schafften es nicht, die vorhandene Restpopulation der Blattläuse zu reduzieren. Dagegen konnte in den Laborversuchen gezeigt werden, das schon bei deutlich reduzierten Insektiziddosen eine ausreichende Blattlausbekämpfung möglich ist und eine weitere Einsparung durch Ausnutzung der natürlichen Regulation durch Prädatoren erreicht werden kann. Allerdings ist eine Übertragung der Ergebnisse von Laboruntersuchungen auf Freilandbedingungen schwierig. Es kann zu einer Überschätzung der Prädatorleistung führen. / Pesticide application in order to control pest populations can also affects non-target organisms such as beneficials. Thus, effects of low-input pesticide use on the tritrophic system crop – aphid – predator were investigated in field and laboratory studies. The hypothesis was: 50% doses of pesticides, particularly insecticides, permanently conserves beneficials, improves natural control and enhances biodiversity in fields. The field study was carried out in a conventional farm in an intensive cropping region of Central Germany (Magdeburger Boerde) from 2004-2006 using half-field comparisons. Three fields (≥15 ha) were divided into two halves during the whole period of investigation representing low- and high-input variants. One half was treated by permanently 50% reduced pesticide doses, whereas the other one was characterised by good plant protection practise (100%). To determine ecological effects of a low-input plant protection strategy, abundances of aphids and their predators as well as of weeds were investigated before and after pesticide applications.In adddition, economic parameters were determined. Insecticide treatment caused greatest effect on aphids and their predators, whereas fungicide and herbicide applications did not affect their abundances. The reduced insecticide dose did not lead to a good aphid control, but the abundance of aphid specific predators was positive affected and Araneae showed enhanced activity density and diversity by the low-input insecticide use. No clear effect of reduced insecticides use on abundance, structure of dominance, and diversity of carabids could be observed. No structural changes in terms of an increased density of weeds were found. Accumulative effects of reduced pesticide use could only be observed concerning weed density and activity density of Araneae after three years. It is concluded, that aphids profit more from reduced pesticide dose than their predators. The increased predator potential did not lead to a better natural control because of higher relative survival rate of aphids in the 50%-variant. In contrast to the field study, in laboratory aphids could be sufficiently reduced by low-input insecticide doses. In some cases the dose of insecticide could be reduced even more by utilisation of the predator potential to receive a good pest control. But it is difficult to transfer the results of laboratory studies to field conditions. It could result in an overestimation of the potential of natural regulation by a predator.

Presented thesis examines possible environmental impact of the genetically modified (GM) maize expressing insecticidal Cry proteins. The impact was assessed from differences in the communities of the ground and above-ground arthropods in plots sown with the standard and the GM maize, respectively. The results revealed that neither the abundance nor the species richness of arthropods was affected. Laboratory experiments were used to study effect of maize expressing several types of Cry proteins on the arthropod predators. Despite the proven exposure of the predators to Cry proteins in the food, no Cry proteins accumulation and deleterious effects on predators were observed. The results confirm the importance of predators in insect resistance management using the GM maize seed blends method.

A soja (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) com o evento DAS-81419-2 (ConkestaTM technology) que expressa as proteínas de Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1F e Cry1Ac protege a cultura de danos de alimentação de lepidópteros-praga primários e secundários. Experimentos de campo foram conduzidos de 2011 à 2016 na região sul e central do Brasil para caracterizar a eficácia da soja DAS-81419-2 infestada com Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), Chrysodeixis includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Chloridea virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Spodoptera cosmioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Agrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) e Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) durante os estágios vegetativo (V4) e reprodutivo (R2 e/ou R4) da cultura. A eficácia da soja DAS-81419-2 foi comparada com a variedade isogênica não-Bt manejada com ou sem inseticidas foliares comerciais para controle de lepidópteros. DAS-81419-2 reduziu significantemente o dano de alimentação causado por A. gemmatalis, C. includens, C. virescens, S. cosmioides e H. armigera durante os estágios vegetativo e reprodutivo, bem como, a mortalidade de plântulas causada por E. lignosellus. Entretanto, DAS-81419-2 apresentou moderada atividade em A. ipsilon. Além disto, um estudo de campo de três anos avaliou os potenciais efeitos adversos de DAS-81419-2 por meio da inspeção da diversidade e abundância de artrópodes não-alvos comparado com a isolinha não-Bt com ou sem aplicações convencionais de inseticidas. Estes estudos foram conduzidos em três regiões produtoras de soja onde os artrópodes não-alvos da parte aérea e da superfície do solo foram monitorados. Em geral, a abundância e diversidade total não foram afetadas signifativamente pela soja Bt. Desta maneira, DAS-81419-2 mostrou eficácia consistente ao longo dos anos, localidades e diferente estágios da cultura contra lepidópteros-pragas primários e secundários de importância econômica da cultura da soja e não afetou adversamente os artrópodes não-alvos que ocorrem nos campos de soja. / Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) event DAS-81419-2 (ConkestaTM technology) expresses Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1F and Cry1Ac proteins to provide protection against primary and secondary lepidopteran pest feeding damage. Field experiments were conducted from 2011 to 2016 in southern and central Brazil to characterize the efficacy of DAS-81419-2 soybean infested with Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), Chrysodeixis includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Chloridea virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Spodoptera cosmioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Agrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) during vegetative (V4) and reproductive (R2 and/or R4) crop developmental stages. The efficacy of DAS-81419-2 was compared to a non-Bt isogenic variety managed with or without applications of commercial foliar insecticides for lepidopteran control. DAS-81419-2 significantly reduced the feeding damage caused by A. gemmatalis, C. includens, C. virescens, S. cosmioides, and H. armigera during both vegetative and reproductive crop growth stages as well as the seedling stage plant mortality caused by E. lignosellus. However, DAS-81419-2 showed moderate activity on A. ipsilon. In addition, a 3-yr in-field study evaluated the potential adverse effects of DAS-81419-2 by examining the diversity and abundance of non-target arthropods (NTAs) compared to the non-Bt near isoline with and without conventional insecticide applications. These studies were conducted in three Brazilian soybean producing regions where both soil surface and aerial NTA were monitored. Overall, the total abundance and diversity were not significantly affected by Bt soybean. Therefore, DAS-81419-2 showed consistent efficacy across years, locations, and crop stages against the most economically important primary and secondary lepidopteran pests of soybean and did not adversely affect non-target arthropods occurring in soybean field.

A soja (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) com o evento DAS-81419-2 (ConkestaTM technology) que expressa as proteínas de Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1F e Cry1Ac protege a cultura de danos de alimentação de lepidópteros-praga primários e secundários. Experimentos de campo foram conduzidos de 2011 à 2016 na região sul e central do Brasil para caracterizar a eficácia da soja DAS-81419-2 infestada com Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), Chrysodeixis includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Chloridea virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Spodoptera cosmioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Agrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) e Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) durante os estágios vegetativo (V4) e reprodutivo (R2 e/ou R4) da cultura. A eficácia da soja DAS-81419-2 foi comparada com a variedade isogênica não-Bt manejada com ou sem inseticidas foliares comerciais para controle de lepidópteros. DAS-81419-2 reduziu significantemente o dano de alimentação causado por A. gemmatalis, C. includens, C. virescens, S. cosmioides e H. armigera durante os estágios vegetativo e reprodutivo, bem como, a mortalidade de plântulas causada por E. lignosellus. Entretanto, DAS-81419-2 apresentou moderada atividade em A. ipsilon. Além disto, um estudo de campo de três anos avaliou os potenciais efeitos adversos de DAS-81419-2 por meio da inspeção da diversidade e abundância de artrópodes não-alvos comparado com a isolinha não-Bt com ou sem aplicações convencionais de inseticidas. Estes estudos foram conduzidos em três regiões produtoras de soja onde os artrópodes não-alvos da parte aérea e da superfície do solo foram monitorados. Em geral, a abundância e diversidade total não foram afetadas signifativamente pela soja Bt. Desta maneira, DAS-81419-2 mostrou eficácia consistente ao longo dos anos, localidades e diferente estágios da cultura contra lepidópteros-pragas primários e secundários de importância econômica da cultura da soja e não afetou adversamente os artrópodes não-alvos que ocorrem nos campos de soja. / Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) event DAS-81419-2 (ConkestaTM technology) expresses Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1F and Cry1Ac proteins to provide protection against primary and secondary lepidopteran pest feeding damage. Field experiments were conducted from 2011 to 2016 in southern and central Brazil to characterize the efficacy of DAS-81419-2 soybean infested with Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), Chrysodeixis includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Chloridea virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Spodoptera cosmioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Agrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) during vegetative (V4) and reproductive (R2 and/or R4) crop developmental stages. The efficacy of DAS-81419-2 was compared to a non-Bt isogenic variety managed with or without applications of commercial foliar insecticides for lepidopteran control. DAS-81419-2 significantly reduced the feeding damage caused by A. gemmatalis, C. includens, C. virescens, S. cosmioides, and H. armigera during both vegetative and reproductive crop growth stages as well as the seedling stage plant mortality caused by E. lignosellus. However, DAS-81419-2 showed moderate activity on A. ipsilon. In addition, a 3-yr in-field study evaluated the potential adverse effects of DAS-81419-2 by examining the diversity and abundance of non-target arthropods (NTAs) compared to the non-Bt near isoline with and without conventional insecticide applications. These studies were conducted in three Brazilian soybean producing regions where both soil surface and aerial NTA were monitored. Overall, the total abundance and diversity were not significantly affected by Bt soybean. Therefore, DAS-81419-2 showed consistent efficacy across years, locations, and crop stages against the most economically important primary and secondary lepidopteran pests of soybean and did not adversely affect non-target arthropods occurring in soybean field.