Effect of the Bt gene on the forage mass, chemical composition, fermentation losses, aerobic stability and energetic value of corn silages

Abstract

The purpose of the implantation of the gene of the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in corn hybrid it was to turn them resistant to the attack of armyworm larvae, reducing the costs with the application of defensive, passage of machines in the crops and negative impacts in the production of grains. That technology can provide benefits as for the amount and quality of the forage for animal feeding, once the implantation of the gene Bt can avoid the mechanisms of resistance expression of the plant against the infesting, that include the lignification, protein accumulation in the cellular wall and consumption of soluble carbohydrates. This has been not confirmed in scientific studies that loss of quality of the forage because of the natural defense of the plant against armyworm larvae, or that the gene Bt avoids the mechanisms of resistance expression of the plant against the infesting. However, the metabolic changes involved in the answers induced by the infesting corn can reduce the quality and amount of the produced forage, while the plant genetically modified, when resisting to the attack of armyworm, it can avoid the chemical alterations originating from of the natural defense and their consequences in the production and quality of the forage. This experiment aim to evaluate the effects of gene Bt on the production and nutritious qualities of the corn silage. For so much they will be evaluate the forage mass, chemical composition, digestibility in vitro, losses fermentativas, stability and apparent digestibility of the corn silages with the gene Bt. The used hybrid will be AG 8088 and DKB 390, with or without the gene Bt. The experimental design will the randomized blocks in factorial arrangement 2 x 2. The results will have immediate application and they will be published in specialized journals, proceedings, field day, newspapers and magazines. (AU)