Objective  The present study aims to explore the effects of Bt rice on gut bacterial structure of the Nilaparvata lugens nymphae and to provide evidence for rational safety assessment of Bt rice.

  Method  Gut bacteria from BPH feeding on non-transgenic rice (CK) and transgenic rice (Bt) were isolated using traditional culture methods, and were identified using 16s rDNA. The composition of isolates was compared between these two treatments.

  Results  The results showed that seven bacterial strains were isolated from the gut of N. lugens feeding on either CK or Bt rice. Three phyla and five genera of the gut bacteria were identified from N. lugens feeding on CK rice, while two phyla and four genera of the gut bacteria from N. lugens feeding on Bt rice. The taxa of bacteria identified from the guts of N. lugens either feeding on CK rice or Bt rice were Proteobateria (including the genus of Pantoea) and Firmicutes (including the genus of Staphylococcus). Herbaspirillum Acinetobacter and Microbacterium were specific genera from the CK treatment, while Enterobacter, and Burkholderia from the Bt treatment.

  Conclusion  The composition of culturable bacteria in the N. lugens gut was different beween the CK treatment and the Bt treatment. The findings provide an important foundation for further studies on the function of symbiotic bacteria in N. lugens, and the effects of transgenic rice on the gut bacteria of non-target species.