Bt Corn Has Produced No Resistance 
in European Corn Borer

A news release has announced that resistance to Bt in transgenic crops has not occurred as was widely predicted when the technology became available several years ago. Bt or Bacillus thuringiensis is a biological insecticide manufactured by plants bioengineered to do so. In this area Bt corn can be used to prevent yield losses from the European corn borer. Entomologist Bruce Tabashnik of the University of Arizona recently completed a survey in collaboration with scientists at Cornell University which found no resistance yet to Bt. Tabshnik was quoted as saying “If I’d gotten up seven years ago and said that there would be no evidence of increased Bt resistance after Bt crops were planted on 62 million hectares (cumulative and worldwide), I would have been hooted off the stage. No one predicted that there wouldn’t even be a minor increase, which is extraordinary.” The article goes on to quote Graham Head who is Monsanto’s global coordinator of insect resistance management as saying “the use of refuges to manage resistance that tends to be recessive and have fitness costs is a highly effective means of delaying resistance.” This report indicates farmers have done a good job of planting a refuge, or a part of the field that is planted to a variety that does not contain the ability to produce Bt.

 

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		Matt Herring - Agronomy/Natural Resources Ken Bolte - Farm Management/Livestock Franklin County University Extension Center Last revised: 11/28/05		Go to Franklin County University Extension Center page