Biodiversity assessment and environmental risk analysis of the single line transgenic pod borer resistant cowpea

Examination of ecological species abundance per counting week (CW) revealed no disruption in the biological properties of non-targeted species due to the cultivation of transgenic PBR cowpea. Analysis of species evenness and diversity indices indicated no significant difference between the fields of transgenic PBR cowpea and its isoline. Principal component analysis results demonstrated that planting PBR cowpea did not create an imbalance in the distribution of ecological species. All species and families observed during this study were more abundant in transgenic PBR cowpea fields than in non-transgenic cowpea fields, suggesting that the transformation of cowpea does not negatively impact non-targeted organisms and their communities. Evolution dynamics of the species community between transgenic and non-transgenic cowpea fields showed a similar trend throughout the study period, with no significant divergence induced in the community structure because of PBR cowpea planting. This study concludes that planting transgenic PBR cowpea positively influences biodiversity and the environment.