Genetic Engineering with Bacillus thuringiensis and Conventional Approaches for Insect Resistance in Crops

Abstract

The aim of resistance management is to slow and ideally reverse the development of resistance in the pest population. Since 1996, million of acres of crops have been planted that are genetically engineered with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) for insect resistance. The novelty for resistance management is that with Bt technology it is possible to control the principal force in an agroecosystem microevolutionary process from the outset, i.e., selection pressure. In Bt crops, the toxin can be expressed constitutively at a relatively constant dose or expression of the toxin can be restricted to specific crop stages, tissues, or both. Here we propose that more precise control of selection eases the practical application of resistance management strategies (high-dose–refugia) compared to other resistance strategies. The population genetics and ecological and operational factors related to the high-dose–refugia strategy currently used for Bt crops are also reviewed.

Keywords:

• insecticide
• transgenic crop
• resistance management
• Bacillus thuringiensis
• applied microevolution

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are indebted to Dr. D. Pimentel, Cornell University, USA, Dr. D. W. Wright, Imperial College, United Kingdom, and Dr. B. V. Conger, former editor of CRPS, for useful suggestions and editing. Hugo Cerda was supported by Ph.D. fellowship from FONACYT Venezuela.