BACKGROUND: Legumes have been genetically engineered to express 𝜶-amylase inhibitor 1 (𝜶AI-1) from common bean in their seeds. Whereas the genetically modified (GM) seeds are immune to multiple bruchid pest species, the cosmopolitan bruchid Acanthoscelides obtectus is tolerant to 𝜶AI-1 and their larvae develop normally inside the seeds. Hymenopteran bruchid parasitoids, themost important natural enemies of bruchids,might thus be exposed to 𝜶AI-1 when attacking A. obtectus larvae developing insideGMseeds. Exposure might reduce parasitoid fitness, resulting in a decline in the natural control of A. obtectus, and thus promote the spread of this pest. We investigated the impact of the presence of 𝜶AI-1 in legume seeds on parasitoid fitness in tritrophic experiments with𝜶AI-1GMor non-GMchickpea seeds, A. obtectus, andthreeparasitoid species.Additionally, we investigated the exposure of parasitoids to 𝜶AI-1 using a fourth, highly sensitive parasitoid species. RESULTS: Parasitoid fitness was not affected when A. obtectus was used in GM chickpea seeds as hosts, and this lack of effects was probably attributable to the fact that exposure of the parasitoids to 𝜶AI-1 was negligible. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the release of GM chickpeas containing 𝜶AI-1 should not harm this important group of non-target insects.