Pest AND WEED Resistance
Conventional farming methods use pesticides and herbicides to protect their crops from unwanted pests and insects that pose a danger to the crops. Pesticides and herbicides can be harmful to humans if ingested, and also have negative effects on those that are directly involved with these chemicals. These chemicals can also be harmful to the environment, and often times kill helpful insects and microorganisms that contribute to soil health. It is estimated that the use of pesticides in the United States kills at least 70 million birds each year. Crops can be genetically engineered to be resistant toward pesticides and herbicides, in addition to being engineered to be resistant to pests themselves. This is done through the use of the Bt toxin.
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is one of the most commonly inserted bacterium because it produces a toxin that is harmful to insects that commonly prey on crops, but is not harmful to humans. This toxin was originally inserted into cotton to protect it from the cotton bollworm, but has been expanded to other crops, such as corn. The genetic engineering of the Bt toxin into these crops makes them resistant to pests, therefore eliminating the need for harmful pesticides and herbicides. These crops produce the toxin internally and not only do they reduce harmful insect damage, but they make way for beneficial bugs that feed on the harmful ones.
In 2001, the planting of Bt cotton eliminated the use of 78,000 tons of insecticides in China, and in 2006 the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service found that Bt corn lowered the use of insecticides by eight percent per planted acre than those who did not plant Bt corn. Bt crops are planted in numerous countries, including the United States, Argentina, Canada, Brazil, and China. Between these five countries, 200 million acres of Bt and/or herbicide tolerant crops were planted in 2004.
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is one of the most commonly inserted bacterium because it produces a toxin that is harmful to insects that commonly prey on crops, but is not harmful to humans. This toxin was originally inserted into cotton to protect it from the cotton bollworm, but has been expanded to other crops, such as corn. The genetic engineering of the Bt toxin into these crops makes them resistant to pests, therefore eliminating the need for harmful pesticides and herbicides. These crops produce the toxin internally and not only do they reduce harmful insect damage, but they make way for beneficial bugs that feed on the harmful ones.
In 2001, the planting of Bt cotton eliminated the use of 78,000 tons of insecticides in China, and in 2006 the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service found that Bt corn lowered the use of insecticides by eight percent per planted acre than those who did not plant Bt corn. Bt crops are planted in numerous countries, including the United States, Argentina, Canada, Brazil, and China. Between these five countries, 200 million acres of Bt and/or herbicide tolerant crops were planted in 2004.