Scientists from Huazhong Agricultural University assessed the reaction of Bt
and non-Bt rice to various levels of nitrogen. They used T2A-1 (Bt rice
variety) inserted with Cry2A* protein and observed the nitrogen (N) and
carbon (C) metabolisms in the plants. The results are published in
Scientific Reports.

The total N accumulation showed no statistical difference between the Bt and
non-Bt rice plants. However, the nitrogen contents in various parts of rice
plant were significantly different between Bt and non-Bt rice plants,
especially on the leaf and spike. The nitrogen in the leaves of Bt rice was
found to be far more than that of the non-Bt counterpart, while the nitrogen
in the spike of Bt rice was less than that of the non-Bt plants. The non-Bt
plants also assimilated more C than Bt rice, but the distribution proportion
of C in leaf, stem, and spike of Bt and non-Bt rice were both in equal
ratio.

The researchers also reported that the number of differentially expressed
protein with N deficiency treatment was almost double of that exposed to
normal N levels. This may imply that insertion of Cry2A* in rice could
affect C and N allocation and related metabolisms, particularly in low N
environment.

[www.nature.com]