Tackling the aquatic stages of anopheline malaria vectors is a key element in integrated vector management (IVM) programmes. The first large trials with Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) as novel biological control agent demonstrated that its impact can be highly effective, but context dependent. To better understand this dependency, there need to answer fundamental questions on mos...

Background: Since large-scale commercial planting of genetically modified (GM) crops began in 1996, a concern has been that non-GM crops may become contaminated by GM crops and that wild or weedy relatives of GM crops growing outside of cultivated areas could become contaminated. The GM Contamination Register contains records of GM contamination incidents since 1997 and forms a unique database....

Bacillus thuringiensis represents one of the six species of "Bacillus cereus group" in the genus Bacillus within the family Bacillaceae. Strain Sbt003 was isolated from soil and identified as B. thuringiensis. It harbors at least seven plasmids and produces three shapes of parasporal crystals including oval, bipyramidal and rice. SDS-PAGE analysis of spore-crystal suspension of this strain reve...

Crop plants genetically modified for the expression of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticidal toxins have broad appeal for reducing insect damage in agricultural systems, yet questions remain about the impact of Bt plants on symbiotic soil organisms. Here, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) colonization of transgenic maize isoline Bt 11 (expressing Cry1Ab) and its non-Bt parental line (Provi...

LL601 is a genetically modified rice variety and unapproved for commercial use. Its presence was found in commercial shipments of U.S. rice in 2006. This article explores its impact on prices and volume marketed for both the United States and Thailand, the major export competitor. The results show a significantly adverse but short duration effect on the U.S. rice market and little to no effect ...

Abstract Rice cultivation is important in China with over 29.33 million hm 2 of rice fields, producing 28.9% yields worldwide. fields are mass breeding sites for mosquitoes approximately 40 mosquito species found amongst them. Anopheles sinensis , lesteri and Culex tritaeniorhynchus the three main that fields. An. vectors malaria flat areas China, Cx. a vector Japanese B encephalitis. This revi...

The biological control function provided by natural enemies is regarded as a protection goal that should not be harmed by the application of any new pest management tool. Plants producing Cry proteins from the bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), have become a major tactic for controlling pest Lepidoptera on cotton and maize and risk assessment studies are needed to ensure they do not harm i...

Insecticidal proteins from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are becoming a cornerstone of ecologically sound pest management. However, if pests quickly adapt, the benefits of environmentally benign Bt toxins in sprays and genetically engineered crops will be short-lived. The diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) is the first insect to evolve resistance to Bt in open-field populat...

The European corn borer completes two to three generations per year in Illinois. Fourth and fifth instars tunnel in stalks, causing disruption in the flow of water and nutrients in the plants. The cavities created by the borers may weaken stalks and ear shanks, resulting in lodging or dropped ears. Before the advent of Bt corn, producers attempted to control European corn borers, if the need ar...

53 The microbial insecticide, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), has become the mainstay of non-chemical control of 54 Lepidopteran pests, either as sprays or through the incorporation of Bt toxins into transgenic crops. Given 55 the wide use of Bt, it is striking that currently only one pest species, Plutella xylostella, has been reported 56 to have developed significant resistance to Bt outside the...