Just to clarify: no one is saying GMO corn causes rootworms to develop resistance to the Bt protein engineered into the corn. Rather, the Bt protein kills all rootworms except those that already have a natural resistance to Bt, thereby allowing those few Bt-resistant rootworms to reproduce and pass the resistance genes on to ever-increasing numbers of offspring. It's a form of selection--in this case unnatural selection.--Tom

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Laurel Hopwood <[log in to unmask]>
To: CONS-SPST-BIOTECH-FORUM <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wed, Mar 19, 2014 1:56 pm
Subject: Genetically manipulated Bt corn losing effect



http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2014/03/rootworm-resistance-bt-corn/
(edited)
After years of predicting it would happen -and after years of having their suggestions largely ignored bycompanies, farmers and regulators - scientists have documented therapid evolution of corn rootworms that are resistant to Btcorn.
'A widespread increase in trait failure maybejust around the corner.'
In a new paper, Iowa State U entomologistAaron Gassmann describes more incidents of Bt resistance. He alsofound rootworms resistant to a second variety of Bt corn. Moreover,being resistant to one variety heightened the chances of resistance toanother.
Gassmann, A. J. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci.USA
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1317179111(2014).


laurel writes: Herbicide resistance will probably result in morepesticide use as 2-4D-ready and dicamba-ready crops  may verywell be around the corner and now insect resistance is accelerating.Obviously, GMO is not the way to go!
VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLAR - choose organics and/orproducts verified by the Non-GMO Project
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