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New Horizons in Insect Science: Towards Sustainable Pest Management pp 83–92Cite as

Insect Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Transgenic Crops and Its Management

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Abstract

Transgenic crops producing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins for insect–pest control have been successful and started paying lucrative returns to the farmers in terms of increased production due to low pest damage, savings in cost of pesticides and manpower involved for pest control. However, their efficacy shows a reducing trend due to evolution of resistance among the target pests is a significant environmental risk. Resistance is a genetically based decrease in susceptibility of a population to an insecticide. To date, field-evolved resistance to Bt crops has been documented in only three insect species: Helicoverpa zea Boddie, Spodoptera frugiperda Smith, and Busseola fusca Fuller to Bt cotton and Bt corn producing Cry1Ac, Cry1F, and Cry1Ab, respectively. Scientists in the industry, government, and academia now recognize evolution of resistance to Bt in pests as a great threat to the continued success of Bt. Insect Resistance Management (IRM) strategies begin with resistance risk assessment. Phenotypic monitoring methods are best studied for low-dose events and genic methods are best suited for high-dose events. Resistance risks are real. But they can be managed. Resistance issues are associated with first-generation technologies and incomplete or compromised IRM programs. Next generation technologies (NGS) with multiple pyramided modes of action are needed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biological Control Research Laboratory, Anand Agricultural University, 388110, Anand, Gujarat, India

    Leena Pathak, Noushad Parvez, Ankit Patel & Janardan Jani

Authors
  1. Leena Pathak
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  2. Noushad Parvez
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  3. Ankit Patel
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  4. Janardan Jani
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Correspondence to Leena Pathak .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

    Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy

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Pathak, L., Parvez, N., Patel, A., Jani, J. (2015). Insect Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Transgenic Crops and Its Management. In: Chakravarthy, A. (eds) New Horizons in Insect Science: Towards Sustainable Pest Management. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2089-3_9

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