This study was conducted to assess the environmental risk of CMV resistant GM pepper and to evaluate the effects of the transgenic pepper (Line: H15) with CMV resistant gene and non-transgenic peppers (Line: P2377, PM Singang, Berota) without gene introduction on the insect community in the three pepper cultivation areas. Sampling was conducted using yellow sticky traps in Deokso, Anseong and Ochang fields, respectively. The total number of insect individuals caught by sticky trap was not shown significant differences between GM and non-GM pepper at Deokso, Anseong and Ochang fields, respectively. Also, there were no significant differences in density of aphids caught on sticky traps between GM and non-GM pepper, and the species richness and species diversity was no statistical difference between the types of crops, GM and non-GM at three experimental pepper fields.

The effects of the genetically modified virus-resistant pepper (line: H15) and the Non-GM pepper (line: P2377) on the insect community in the pepper cultivation area were evaluated. Sampling was conducted using yellow sticky traps and pheromone funnel traps in Anseong and Deokso fields. Total number of insects caught on sticky trap were 3924 individuals at GM pepper and 3670 individuals at Non-GM pepper in Anseong and 2362 individuals at GM and 2528 individuals at Non-GM in Deokso, respectively. The total number of the insect individuals caught by sticky trap was not shown significant differences between GM and Non-GM pepper at Anseong and Deokso fields, respectively. The number of aphids per sticky trap ranged from 11.60±2.02 to 1.92±0.96 at Non-GM and from 11.56±2.15 to 0.33±0.23 at GM in Anseong, and from 2.78±1.22 to 0.11±0.08 and from 2.73±0.84 to 0.11±0.08 at Non-GM and GM pepper in Deokso, respectively. There were no significant differences in seasonal occurrences of aphids caught on sticky traps in GM and Non-GM pepper at both fields, and significant differences in aphids population density between Non-GM and GM were not observed.

The effects of the genetically modified virus-resistant pepper (line: 15, 20) and the non-GM pepper (line: 2377, 915) on the insect community in the pepper cultivation area were evaluated. Sampling was conducted using yellow sticky traps and pheromone funnel traps in Anseong and Deokso fields. Total number of insects caught on sticky trap were 3273 individuals at GM pepper and 2949 individuals at non-GM pepper in Anseong and 4357 individuals at GM and 3712 individuals at non-GM in Deokso. Total number of aphids collected on leaves were 451 and 330 individuals at GM and non-GM pepper in Anseong, respectively and 79 individuals at GM and 41 individuals at non-GM pepper in Deokso. The total number of the insect individuals caught on sticky trap was not shown significant differences between GM and non-GM pepper at Anseong and Deokso fields, respectively. Also, there were no significant differences in seasonal occurrences of aphids caught on sticky traps in GM and non-GM pepper at both fields. This work was supported financially by Biogreen21 project of Rural Development Administration (No. 20070301-034-010).

For the physiological study on environmental impact of genetically modified (GM) pepper plant on non-target but three-trophically related insect species, we investigated behavioral responses of Aphis gossypii and Aphidius colemani in Y-tube olfactometer to the cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)-resistant transgenic pepper plant (H15 GM line) expressing coat protein gene of CMV and its wild type pepper plant (untransformed, susceptible to CMV pathotype II, P2377 inbred line) in relation to CMV infection. CMV-infected plants were prepared with the 30 min of inoculation by the winged A. gossypii viruliferous or mechanical inoculation using CMV-Fny, and with molecular diagnosis using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) over 2 weeks after inoculation. In this study, time for attraction responses (attraction time) of A. gossypii were not significantly different in the pepper strain, and the virus infection of plant. However, the attraction time of A. colemani was significantly different between the GM plant and the non-GM plant. In addition, the attraction time of A. colemani to the GM plant was significantly decreased according to the CMV infection. For further study, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by these plants were collected with an entrainment kit and analyzed by Gas Chromatography (GC) on HP-1 column. The specific VOCs related to CMV infection were detected in the GM plant over 4 weeks after inoculation of CMV in this study. Thus, it is suggested that VOCs of the GM plant in this study may be produced more as a signal attracting A. colemani in relation to CMV infection.

Genetically modified (GM) pepper H15 containing the gene for cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) coat protein (CP) and its control line non-GM pepper P2377 were investigated for their allergic risk. Amino acid sequence of the inserted gene product CMV-CP was compared with those of known allergens. No known allergen had greater than 35% amino acid sequence homology over an 80 amino acid window or more than 8 consecutive identical amino acids. Protein patterns of GM and non-GM pepper extracts were evaluated by SDS-PAGE, which showed similar distribution of protein bands for both GM and non-GM pepper. Antigen-antibody reactions were compared between GM and its non-transgenic parental control. ELISA and immunoblot analysis of sera from allergic patients showed some IgE reactivity; however, no differences were observed between GM pepper H15 and P2377. We therefore conclude that CMV-CP is less likely to be an allergen; the protein composition and allergenicity of the GM pepper H15 is not different from that of P2377 and safe as a commercial host.