Development of resistance to Bt plants: "evolution in action"
For more than ten years, millions of hectares of genetically modified maize and cotton have been cultivated worldwide. The Bt toxin used in such plants is aimed against a variety of chewing insects. In contrast to the expectations of many experts, the pests in question have developed no resistance to the Bt toxin to date. At the beginning of 2008, a report by the US-American insect researcher Bruce E. Tabashnik caused a stir: for the first time, a pest - the cotton borer - was reported to have developed resistance in nature to Bt plants. All other chewing insects considered in the study displayed no change in their sensitivity.
Background
- Cotton pest develops resistance to Bt plants
- Questions put to Bruce E. Tabashnik: Resistance management in Bt crops: Time for adjustments? (2/2008)
- Bt plants world wide: Bacterial arsenal to combat chewing insects
Looking for the Bt-resistant European corn borer
Insect-resistant Bt maize also is cultivated on a large scale in some regions of Europe. The Bt toxin that it produces is aimed against the European corn borer, a pest that may be found in many areas. Despite intensive searching, no resistant insect has been found so far. Is the mandatory resistance management working, or is the appearance of resistant insects simply a matter of time?
Results
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Background
European corn borer: Research under quarantine
The western corn borer is a new pest in Europe and appeared for the first time in Germany in 2007. Research addressing the potential development of resistance in this insect therefore is possible only in the laboratory under special conditions of security.
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