Bt toxin - Biology Forum

last updated by

canalon 18 years, 1 month ago

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- October 14, 2006 at 7:57 am #5990
  noorhidayah
  Participant
  what will happen if insects that are resistant to Bt toxin emerged through natural selection? will biotechnologist introduce a newer, more powerful toxin, incorporating the genes into plants to kill insects that eat them? what’s the solution? what if the insects become resistant to the new toxin as well? it seems like a neverending effort to beat the insects but the insects are getting more and more powerful! 👿
- October 14, 2006 at 9:28 am #56586
  lara
  Participant
  well this is just an idea.being a microbe Bt is also susceptible to mutation resulting in variations.+ we can use Bt genes in combination with other bio agents like baculoviruses.
- October 14, 2006 at 5:08 pm #56622
  canalon
  Participant
  Bt resistant insects already exist.
  To avoid them spreading, Bt crops should be planted next to non Bt plants to be used as haven to keep Bt sensitive insects healthy and have them diluting the resistance gene, at least that is the theory.
  As Lara said there are other routes than just Bt. An this is just an arms race, both sides have to evolve permanently to outcompete the other one.
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