EFFECTS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS (GMCS): SWEET PEPPER, CAPSICUM ANNUUM, ON ABUNDANCE AND COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF SOIL ORIBATID MITES (ACARI, ORIBATIDA)

The effect of genetically modified (GM) crops on soil variables and soil oribatid mite communities was assessed compared with those with non-genetically modified (NGM) crops. The study was carried out in 5 greenhouses situated in 3 locations in Al Mahala Al Kubra conducted City (Gharbia Governorate, Egypt). All locations were cultivated with GM and NGM sweet pepper Capsicum annuum. The impact assessment was investigated, taking into account, environmental variables. These variables were: temperature, soil moisture, acidity, electric conductivity, C/N nutrient concentrations (K, Ca, Mg, and P) and soil dehydrogenase enzymes activity (DHA). Soil with GM crops showed a significant increase in the organic matter content, C% and N% and DHA level compared with NGM one. On the other hand, K, Ca, Mg and P concentrations showed no significant change among studied sites. Totally, 25 oribatid mite species were identified, with 5432 individuals in soil cultivated with GM and 2526 in soil with NGM crops. In spite of the significant increase of oribatid mite abundances in soil with GM crops, species diversity and evenness of oribatid mites in soil cultivated with GM plants were lower than in soil cultivated with NGM plants. Canonical correspondence analysis CCA indicated that environmental variables have high relation with sites cultivated with GM crops rather than sites cultivated with NGM crops.