How Bt corn is produced?
To create a Bt crop variety, plant scientists select the gene for a particular Bt toxin and insert it into the cells of corn or cotton plant at the embryo stage. The resulting mature plant has the Bt gene in all its cells and expresses the insecticidal protein in its leaves.
How genetically modified Bacillus thuringiensis Bt corn is created?
Specifically, these bug-fighting plants were developed by moving some of the genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) into corn and cotton. So called Bt crops are highly effective at combating pests such as European corn borer, rootworm, corn earworm, tobacco budworm, and bollworm [3-4].
Where does the gene for Bt corn come from?
In the case of Bt corn, the donor organism is a naturally occurring soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, and the gene of interest produces a protein that kills Lepidoptera larvae, in particular, European corn borer. This protein is called the Bt delta endotoxin.
What is Bt and how is it produced?
“Bt crops are transgenic crops that are genetically engineered from the DNA of bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis.” Bt Crops are transgenic crops that produce the same toxin as the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis in the plant cell, thereby, protecting the crops from pests.
What is Bt corn and why was it created?
What is Bt Maize? Bacillus thuringiensis is a species of bacteria that produces proteins that are toxic to certain insects. Because of this, it has been used as a safe microbial insecticide for over 50 years to control pest caterpillars.
When was Bt corn created?
Mycogen and Ciba Seeds (now Novartis Seeds) first introduced Bt corn hybrids in 1996. Farmers found out that the corn borers died after eating only a few bites of the Bt corn plant.
What are Bacillus thuringiensis Bt crops and why were they created?
Bt crops are plants genetically engineered (modified) to contain the endospore (or crystal) Bt toxin to be resistant to certain insect pests. “Plant Genetic Systems”, in Belgium, was the first company to produce a Bt crop (tobacco) in laboratory in 1985 but the crop was not commercially successful (Vaek et al. 1987).
Who created Bt corn?
Ernst Berliner isolated a bacteria that had killed a Mediterranean flour moth in 1911, and rediscovered Bt. He named it Bacillus thuringiensis, after the German town Thuringia where the moth was found.
Where is Bt corn grown?
About 28 percent of the crop and pastureland within the North American Corn Belt – an area extending from eastern Kansas/Nebraska to western New York – is planted in corn (Sears et al., 2001).
What are the major factors influencing the adoption of Bt corn?
These include age, highest educational attainment, major source of income, monthly income, year of membership to organization, and land ownership. For each year that a farmer’s age increases, the likelihood of adopting Bt corn is nearly three times that.
Why is it called Bt corn?
These GE plants produce crystal (Cry) proteins or toxins derived from the soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), hence the common name “Bt maize”.