Scientists Find Resistance To Transgenic Crops In Cotton Bollworms - AFP

[hatrack]

Scientists poring over a mass of studies into the response of pests to genetically-modified cotton say they have found the first confirmation that insects have developed resistance to transgenic crops. University of Arizona entomologists looked at data from six experiments to monitor pests in fields sown with transgenic cotton and corn in Australia, China, Spain and the United States.

They found evidence of genetic mutation among bollworms (Helicoverpa zea) in a dozen cotton fields sown in Mississippi and Arkansas between 2003 and 2006. But no such evidence was found among five other major pests monitored elsewhere.

The mutation entails a slight change in the bollworm's DNA to help it resist a toxin that the cotton plant exudes thanks to a gene inserted by biotechnologists. These GM toxins are produced in nature by a widespread bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis, which goes by the abbreviation Bt. The type of Bt toxin to which these bollworms have become resistant is called Cry1Ac.

"What we're seeing is evolution in action," said lead researcher Bruce Tabashnik. "This is the first documented case of field-evolved resistance to a Bt crop."

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/2007/080208170524.tpy5bwgx.html

[phantom power]

1. Evolved resistance. Who would have predicted?

:eyes:

[OKIsItJustMe]

9. Naturally, they knew...

As has been said elsewhere, Jr. High biology is really all the knowledge you need.

Okay, so why did they do this? What possible reason might agri-businesses have to select for immunity to virtually the only pesticide used by organic farmers? Hmmm...

:tinfoilhat:

[mike_c]

2. not surprising-- this has been expected for some time....

Evolved resistance has always been the best argument against Bt transformed crops, IMO. Bt will go the way of organochlorines-- that's a terrible shame.

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. Have billions of years of evolution taught human scientists nothing?

The toxins will not kill everything that tries to munch on the plants; some lucky few individuals will have some random mutation that allows them to resist or even grow stronger on the poisons. Those few will breed and pass on that mutation to their offspring. In a few generations, they will outcompete those without the mutation and become the dominant species in that area.

Crimeny, I learned in junior high school that evolution was an arms race and the best we can ever hope for is a temporary stalemate. :eyes:

[Xipe Totec]

6. It's not the scientists, it's the agrifirms

scientists just follow the funding.

[jpak]

4. More evidence for intelligent design

:evilgrin:

[Xipe Totec]

5. Anything you can do, bugs can do better

Anything you can do,
bugs can do better.
bugs can do anything
Better than you.

No, they can't.
Yes, they can. No, they can't.
Yes, they. No, they can't.
Yes, they can,
Yes, they can!

[hatrack]

7. Just as fast as you breed, bugs will breed faster . . .

Bugs will breed very fast, faster than you!

[Xipe Totec]

8. No, they can't.

Yes, they can. No, they can't.
Yes, they. No, they can't.
Yes, they can,
Yes, they can!

:rofl:

[Tashca]

10. Super bugs

We just keep building super bugs and super weeds. We also seem to be working on super diseases too....just not with bio-tech ......yet.

They already have alternatives in the pipeline....I would imagine when we get to the point that these super insects invade a large enough area and do enough damage that another remedy will be introduced...at a slightly higher price.....

[diane in sf]

11. Surprise, surprise!!! (Gomer Pile, USMC)

[kestrel91316]

12. Gasp! NO ONE could have forseen THIS!!!1!!