The way I understand it, the insect WILL NOT develop an immunity to the gmo
bt coded corn.
Immunity requires survivors, so that the ability to survive the disease,
etc, would breed into the population.
The gmo bt coded corn affects the critters on a genetic basis...and is 100
percent effective with no infected critters surviving.
Pretty neat, as long as nothing mutates further!
Val
"jellybean stonerfish" wrote in message
news:MOD$020131.22736@rec.gardens.ecosystems... > > In article <MOD$020120.11130@rec.gardens.ecosystems>, Kelly Houston > wrote: > > > >Shows what I know. the only time I ever heard of bt was regarding the
GMO > > >issues. > > > > Just for clarification and information: > > > > Bt stands for Baccillus thurensis which is a bacteria which infects
certain > > target pests. There is one subspecies that targets mosquitos, one that > > targets > > gnats and flies, and another that targets the insect family Lepidopterae > > (butterflies and moths). GMO corn has a portion of the Bt genetic code
which > > allows it to make the poison that the bacteria make that kills the bugs.
Bugs > > that chew on the plant get poisoned. Bt as a spray actually infects the > > larvae > > that eat it: it has a relatively short life span so it is only
effective for > > a > > specific amount of time. As an infective agent, it is somewhat specific
in > > that it will infect only one genera of insects at a time. So Bt for > > Lepidopterae does not kill aphids, for example...or predatory wasps, or
bees, > > or spiders, or other predatory critters. Bt for mosquitos does not kill > > dragonfly larvae, skimmers, or other aquatic life. > > Bt is a good biological control of many pests when used correctly and in > > conjuction with an IPM program. > > > > Kelly > > Won't the insects develop an imunity to the gmo bt coded corn? > > sf > >