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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] sweet corn - Bt resistance?

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  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] sweet corn - Bt resistance?
  • Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2012 14:14:17 -0500

BT kurstaki etc. applied as a spray or a dust is only present in the field for a short period of time after each application. GMO plants expressing BT toxin do so continuously throughout the season, and with probable residue remaining in the field for some time after harvest. The latter situation is likely to produce resistance much faster.


-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale



On Jan 5, 2012, at 2:05 PM, <sunnfarm AT netscape.com> wrote:

I have used BT since 1972 and BT kurstaki or Dipel is just as effective today as it was 40 years ago. I can not name a single synthetic that has been resistance free for 10 years yet alone 40. Bt is a natural product and must have evolved along with the insects it controls. That is millions of years of exposure.
Even before gmo's BT was applied to millions of acres annually without resistance. So I don't think there will be any resistance anytime soon with Bt corn. Keep in mind that corn worms have many host plants to preserve there susceptibility to the toxin.... Bob.




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