Traditionally, measurement of the acute toxicity of pesticides to beneficial arthropods has relied largely on the determination of an acute median lethal dose or concentration. However, the estimated lethal dose during acute toxicity tests may only be a partial measure of the deleterious effects. In addition to direct mortality induced by pesticides, their sublethal effects on arthropod physiology and behavior must be considered for a complete analysis of their impact. An increasing number of studies and methods related to the identification and characterization of these effects have been published in the past 15 years. Review of sublethal effects reported in published literature, taking into account recent data, has revealed new insights into the sublethal effects of pesticides including effects on learning performance, behavior, and neurophysiology. We characterize the different types of sublethal effects on beneficial arthropods, focusing mainly on honey bees and natural enemies, and we describe the methods used in these studies. Finally, we discuss the potential for developing experimental approaches that take into account these sublethal effects in integrated pest management and the possibility of integrating their evaluation in pesticide registration procedures.

The Sublethal Effects of Pesticides on Beneficial Arthropods

https://flore.unifi.it/bitstream/2158/1073524/1/2016%20Pertot%20A%20critical%20review.pdf

A critical review of plant protection tools for reducing pesticide use on grapevine and new perspectives for the implementation of IPM in viticulture

This paper provides recommendations on experimental design for early-tier laboratory studies used in risk assessments to evaluate potential adverse impacts of arthropod-resistant genetically engineered (GE) plants on non-target arthropods (NTAs). While we rely heavily on the currently used proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in this discussion, the concepts apply to other arthropod-active proteins. A risk may exist if the newly acquired trait of the GE plant has adverse effects on NTAs when they are exposed to the arthropod-active protein. Typically, the risk assessment follows a tiered approach that starts with laboratory studies under worst-case exposure conditions; such studies have a high ability to detect adverse effects on non-target species. Clear guidance on how such data are produced in laboratory studies assists the product developers and risk assessors. The studies should be reproducible and test clearly defined risk hypotheses. These properties contribute to the robustness of, and confidence in, environmental risk assessments for GE plants. Data from NTA studies, collected during the analysis phase of an environmental risk assessment, are critical to the outcome of the assessment and ultimately the decision taken by regulatory authorities on the release of a GE plant. Confidence in the results of early-tier laboratory studies is a precondition for the acceptance of data across regulatory jurisdictions and should encourage agencies to share useful information and thus avoid redundant testing.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs11248-010-9446-x.pdf

Recommendations for the design of laboratory studies on non-target arthropods for risk assessment of genetically engineered plants

This paper provides recommendations on experimental design for early-tier laboratory studies used in risk assessments to evaluate potential adverse impacts of arthropod-resistant genetically engineered (GE) plants on non-target arthropods (NTAs). While we rely heavily on the currently used proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in this discussion, the concepts apply to other arthropod-active proteins. A risk may exist if the newly acquired trait of the GE plant has adverse effects on NTAs when they are exposed to the arthropod-active protein. Typically, the risk assessment follows a tiered approach that starts with laboratory studies under worst-case expo- sure conditions; such studies have a high ability to detect adverse effects on non-target species. Clear guidance on how such data are produced in labora- tory studies assists the product developers and risk assessors. The studies should be reproducible and test clearly defined risk hypotheses. These properties

Recommendations for the design of laboratory studies on non-target arthropods for risk assessment of genetically engineered plants Jorg RomeisRichard L. HellmichMarco P. CandolfiKeri Carstens • Adinda De SchrijverAngharad M. R. GatehouseRod A. Herman • Joseph E. HuesingMorven A. McLeanAlan RaybouldAnthony M. Shelton •

Contamination of wild plants near neonicotinoid seed-treated crops, and implications for non-target insects.

Laboratory method to test effects of plant protection products on larvae of Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae).

Sensitivity of non-target arthropods to plant protection products: Could Typhlodromus pyri and Aphidius spp. be used as indicator species?

The EU Plant Protection Product Directive 91/414/EEC recommends the EPPO/CoE Arthropod Natural Enemies Risk Assessment Scheme for guidance on how to conduct risk assessments for terrestrial non-target arthropods. This scheme is currently in the process of being revised by EPPO/ CoE. A major change will be the recommendation for the generation and use of ’Dose Response’ toxicity data instead of limit test data. In addition, the revised EPPO/CoE Non-target Arthropods Risk Assessment Scheme will replace the current arbitrary 30% threshold trigger value applied to limit test data, with a Hazard Quotient (HQ; = Ratio Application Rate/LC50 on Glass)), comparable to the successful approach adopted in the EPPO/CoE ’Honeybee Risk Assessment Scheme’. However, in order for this new approach to be implemented under 91/414/EEC, an appropriate regulatory HQ trigger value needs to be derived. Such an HQ trigger value has been established by calculating HQ values for the 2 recommended sensitive indicator species (T pyri andAphidius) for a wide range of products and validating opposite robust semi-field/field data. This validation indicated that an HQ trigger value of ≥ 12 forT pyri and ≥ 8 forAphidius spp., should be used to trigger higher-tier risk assessment and/or higher-tier testing for non-target arthropods. As these trigger values were validated with realistic semi-field/ field data they apply for both lethal and sub-lethal effects as well as single and multiple application scenarios. Due to the worst case assumptions used in this HQ validation analysis, no further uncertainty factors need to be applied for in-crop risk assessment. Whilst a small amount of uncertainty exists regarding the comparative sensitivity ofT pyri andAphidius spp. for off-crop non-target arthropod guilds of arthropods, this is balanced by the fact that the off-crop exposure assessment used in the HQ derivation, is at least an order of magnitude higher than that realistically likely in the field. This HQ approach and trigger value is an appropriate and conservative tool for tier 1 risk assessment, which should reduce the number of false positive results leading to unnecessary higher-tier testing.

A Hazard Quotient approach for assessing the risk to non-target arthropods from plant protection products under 91/414/EEC : hazard quotient trigger value proposal and validation

Laboratory residual contact test with the predatory mite Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten (Acari: Phytoseiidae) for regulatory testing of plant protection products

A laboratory test system for assessing effects of plant protection products on the plant dwelling insect Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

A. Waltersdorfer

Papers

Laboratory method to test effects of plant protection products on larvae of Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae).

Sensitivity of non-target arthropods to plant protection products: Could Typhlodromus pyri and Aphidius spp. be used as indicator species?

A Hazard Quotient approach for assessing the risk to non-target arthropods from plant protection products under 91/414/EEC : hazard quotient trigger value proposal and validation

Laboratory residual contact test with the predatory mite Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten (Acari: Phytoseiidae) for regulatory testing of plant protection products

A laboratory test system for assessing effects of plant protection products on the plant dwelling insect Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).