Controlling plant responses to the environment: Biotic stress - Insects, nematodes and other pests
Watkins, Philip;
Huesing, Joeseph;
Margam, Venu;
Murdock, Larry;
Higgins, TJ
2011-11-08
Book Chapter
Plant biotechnology and agriculture: Prospects for the 21st century
1
353-270
Arie Altman and Paul Hasegawa
Each year insects and other plant pests cost farmers billions of dollars worldwide because of lost agricultural production and the expense of labour intensive chemical control. These costs are usually transferred onto the consumer, who pays higher prices for food. Economics are not the sole concern, as widespread use of pesticides can have undesirable effects on the environment, ecology and human health. The problem is worsening as some pests have developed resistance to chemical pesticides through repeated exposure and higher doses or more toxic pesticides must be applied to control the same population. For resource poor farmers in the developing world even a small decrease in production can negatively affect their livelihood, health and survival. Biotechnology provides a relatively new approach to pest control through the use of transgenic plants. This technology enables plants to produce their own insect-specific toxins, reducing the need for repeated applications of chemical pesticides. Insect resistant crops that express genes from the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) bacterium have been developed and on the market since 1996 (1). Currently cotton and maize crops engineered to express Bt genes are available commercially while others, such as, soybean, rice and brinjal (eggplant), are close to release. In addition to Bt, other genes have been transferred into plants with the aim of reducing pest damage allowing crops to reach their full production potential.
Elsevier
Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt cotton, Bt maize, cowpea trypsin inhibitor, cry proteins, protease inhibitor, recombinant insecticides, RNAi, toxin, VIP proteins
Plant Cell and Molecular Biology
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-381466-1.00023-7
© 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
EP106000
Book chapter
English
9780123814661
Watkins, Philip; Huesing, Joeseph; Margam, Venu; Murdock, Larry; Higgins, TJ. Controlling plant responses to the environment: Biotic stress - Insects, nematodes and other pests. In: Arie Altman and Paul Hasegawa, editor/s. Plant biotechnology and agriculture: Prospects for the 21st century. Elsevier; 2011. 353-270. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-381466-1.00023-7
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