Herbicide-tolerant soybeans are the most extensively cultivated genetically modified (GM) crop globally. The effects of GM soybean and associated agronomic practices on soil microbial communities remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the impact of planting GM soybeans with a glyphosate application on soil microbial diversity. The main bacterial and fungal community compositions (phylum level) were consistent for GM and non-GM soybeans. The alpha diversity analysis indicated that the bacterial Shannon index was significantly higher in GM rhizosphere soil during flowering compared to non-GM soil. There were no significant differences in the Shannon, Simpson, or ACE indices of the soil fungal communities between GM and non-GM soybeans in the same period. The PCoA analysis showed no significant differences in community structure between the GM and non-GM soybean soil for either fungi or bacteria during the same period. Although the relative abundance of Bradyrhizobium at the seedling stage was significantly lower in those GM than in those non-GM, it did not affect the final number of root nodules in either soybean type. The relative abundance of Frankia was significantly lower in GM rhizosphere soil during the seedling and flowering stages, whereas that of Thelebolus was significantly higher during flowering and pod filling. The abundance and ecological functions of these taxa warrant continuous monitoring.

Understanding the ability of hybrids of genetically modified (GM) soybean and wild soybean to survive and reproduce under unfavorable conditions is critical for answering questions regarding risk assessment and the existence of transgenes in the environment. To investigate the effects of high-temperature stress on soybean growth and competitive ability, the GM soybean DBN8002, which expresses the VIP3Aa and PAT proteins, and F₂ generations derived from a cross between GM soybean and NJW (wild soybean) were placed in a greenhouse with an elevated temperature (38/32 °C) for 14 days, and the plant agronomic performance and foreign protein levels of hybrid soybean were evaluated to observe their responses to high temperature. The results revealed that the VIP3Aa and PAT protein levels in F₂ and GM were not influenced by high-temperature stress. In contrast, the pollen germination, pod number, hundred-seed weight, and seed vigor of the F₂ hybrid and parent soybean plants decreased after high-temperature stress. However, except for the number of fully filled seeds per plant, the above parameters of the F₂ hybrid were similar to or slightly lower than those of wild soybean, and no significant difference in fitness was observed between the F₂ hybrid and wild soybean, indicating that the growth and competitive ability of the hybrid were similar to those of its female parent under heat stress conditions, resulting in the transgenes persisting and spreading within agricultural ecosystems. Our results enhance the understanding of the GM soybean plant’s response to heat stress, lay the foundation for breeding heat-resistant soybean varieties, and provide new insights and advanced information on the ecological risks arising from the escape of transgenes.

The impact of transgenic crops on non-target organisms is a key aspect of environmental safety assessment to transgenic crops. In the present study, we fed two snail species, Bradybaena (Acusta) ravida (B. ravida) and Bradybaena similaris (Ferussac)(B. similaris), with the leaves of transgenic Bt cotton Zhong 30 (Z30) and control cotton, its parent line zhong 16 (Z16), to assess the environmental safety of Bt cotton to common non-target organisms in the field. Survival, body weight, shell diameter, helix number, reproduction rate, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and Bt protein concentration in snails were monitored in 15 days and 180 days experiments. We also monitored the population dynamics of B. ravida and B. similaris in Z30 and Z16 cotton fields for two successive years. Compared to the snails fed on the control cotton Z16, there was no significant difference in survival, growth, reproduction, and SOD activity on Bt cotton Z30. Bt protein concentrations were significantly between different treatments, and Bt protein residues were only detected in the feces of the Z30 treatment. According to the field data, the number of B. ravida and B. similaris fluctuated considerably across seasons over the entire cotton-growing season; however, there were no significant differences between the Bt and control cotton fields at similar time. As the results showed, in our experiments, Bt cotton Z30 had no adverse effects on the two snail species, both in the laboratory and in the fields.

The impacts of transgenic maize on non - target organisms serve as a crucial parameter for evaluating the environmental safety of transgenic maize. In the present study, short - term and long - term feeding experiments were carried out on Euborellia annulipes (Lucas) (Dermaptera: Anisolabididae) using two types of diets: maize (including both transgenic and non - transgenic varieties) and maize combined with maize borers (Ostrinia furnacalis). The survival rate, body weight, body length, reproductive efficiency, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) of the predator were monitored. Moreover, the residual concentration of exogenous protein in the bodies, eggs, and feces of the earwigs was measured. The experimental findings indicated that there were no significant disparities in the aforementioned indicators between the transgenic and non - transgenic maize treatment groups. Nevertheless, differences were detected between the maize treatment groups and the maize borer treatment groups, especially with regard to egg production. The earwigs in the maize borer treatment groups produced significantly more eggs. Overall, the short - term and long - term feeding experiments demonstrated that transgenic maize did not exert adverse effects on E.annulipes.

The impacts of transgenic maize on non-target organisms serve as a crucial parameter for evaluating the environmental safety of transgenic maize. In the present study, feeding experiments were carried out on Euborellia annulipes Lucas (Dermaptera: Anisolabididae) using two types of diets: maize (DBN9936 and parental maize DBN318) and maize combined with maize borers Ostrinia furnacalis Guenée (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). The survival rate, body weight, body length, reproductive efficiency, and activities of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) of the predator were monitored. Moreover, the residual concentration of exogenous protein in the bodies, eggs, and feces of the earwigs was measured. The experimental findings indicated that there were no significant disparities in the aforementioned indicators between the transgenic and non-transgenic maize treatment groups. Nevertheless, differences were detected between the maize treatment groups and the maize borer treatment groups, especially regarding egg production. The earwigs in the maize borer treatment groups produced significantly more eggs. Overall, the feeding experiments demonstrated that transgenic maize did not exert adverse effects on E. annulipes.

Gene escape from genetically modified (GM) soybean may have ecological and genetic effects on wild populations. To assess the potential risks associated with backcrossing GM soybean with wild soybean, seed dormancy, inheritance of herbicide resistance, and plant growth in F₁, BC₁F₁, and BC₂F₁ lines were comprehensively analyzed. The results showed that, compared with those of wild soybean, the seeds of BC₁F₁ and BC₂F₁ also exhibited dormancy, albeit at significantly lower levels. BC₁F₁ and BC₂F₁ showed reduced biomass (by 6–7%; p > 0.05) and inferior reproductive performance, with the numbers of pods, seeds, and filled seeds per plant decreasing by 27.02–29.57% (p < 0.05). However, glyphosate spraying tests demonstrated that 46.3% of the BC₁F₁ plants and 30.6% of the BC₂F₁ plants were resistant to glyphosate. Moreover, exogenous protein assay results confirmed that the exogenous gene was stably inherited in these plants, which confers a significant growth advantage under selection pressure. These findings provide new scientific evidence for assessing the ecological risks associated with the environmental release of GM soybean.