INSECTICIDAL GENES

INSECTICIDAL GENES can be taken from other plants or from bacteria such as the BT gene which has been transferred into corn and other crops. BT is a protein isolated from the naturally occurring soil bacteria, Bacillus thuringensis. The BT protein is capable of disrupting the guts of specific insects before larvae can complete development and has essentially no toxicity against most non target insects, other animals, or humans. An altered form of the BT gene has been engineered and transferred into plants, making the transgenic plant resistant to insects (such as the corn borer). Recently, it has been identified that BT-corn has lower mycotoxin contamination possibly because it reduces insect injury thereby reducing fungal infection levels. The present controversy surrounding the use of BT, reflects the concerns by organic farmers who use BT spray and worry that the overuse will lead to BT resistant insects and some environmentalist who fear BT will kill non target insects such as the monarch butterfly larvae. However, if we assess the risks associated with the use of BT-crops and compare it with the risks associated with more conventional methods, such as inorganic insecticidal sprays, the use of BT-crops are safer and more environmentally friendly.