Genetically Modified Crops Face Super Pests
April 14th, 2010 Posted in Green Living & News
Farmers use pesticides, preservatives, and other chemically altering mechanisms to be more successful in the agricultural sector. Most of these mechanisms of crop cultivation and prevention are successful in terms of their end result, but until recently many farmers have not realized the sometimes harmful consequences of these actions.
Recently, farmers have been genetically altering their crops to make them last longer, taste better, and be stronger against predators. However, some insects have begun to show consequences of this form of genetic altercation, making them super resistant to conventional forms of control.
Genetically Modified Crops
Crops can be altered using the latest biotechnology to serve a specific and practical purpose. The science behind genetically modified crops has improved drastically with the technological advances occurring everyday throughout the United States.
Plants and crops can be breed to reproduce in hire numbers, be born with certain specific characteristics, and can be modified to be more resistant against predators. This often works to help repel certain harmful insects, without having to use any conventional form of insect control.
The Bt toxin has become one of the most widely used forms of genetic manipulation in crops. It enables crop seeds to produce natural pesticides that help repel insects without the need for chemical pesticides and other forms of conventional pest control.
Super Pests Resulting From Genetic Modification
A more and more common problem resulting from the widespread use of the Bt toxin are the unknown side effects. Super-pests have been a fear of farmers and scientists for years, but only until recently were they merely a fear.
The Bt bacterial toxin, that used to make crops stronger against predatory insects, is actually causing the opposite effect on generations of insects. These bugs, like flies and beetles, are building a resistance that makes them immune to this natural form of insect control. Insects with this resistance to the Bt toxin would also have stronger resistance against typical forms of pesticides, making these superbugs a real problem.
Scientists suggest farmers save up to 30% of their land from use of the Bt toxin and just use typical forms of pesticides or control. This will help balance out your crops and help prevent super pesticide resistant bugs from taking over your property.
4 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!
By Melissa on Apr 16, 2010
“Recently, farmers have been genetically altering their crops to make them last longer, taste better, and be stronger against predators.”
Actually, it isn’t typically farmers doing the genetic alterations. Many of them prefer not to meddle with nature as much these days, especially after seeing problems that have and could arise. There are however, corporate interests silly enough to keep promoting industrial farming and the use of GMOs created by scientists. It really boils down to greed!
I’ll be interested to see people returning to the old ways, combined with new. The use of plants to repel insects is not a new idea.
- Melissa
By Amy L on Apr 17, 2010
This is so scary! Unfortunately, like so many things, nothing will be corrected or regulated until the problem becomes too big to be controlled.
By FrugalMom on Apr 17, 2010
Well, I sure have superbugs in my garden:) I just spent an hour trying to get rid of the little pests, and boy am I tired. This organic gardening thing is a lot of work, but the veggies sure are tasty.
By bob on Oct 22, 2010
Organic food causes human disease. That is bad. They shouldn’t be grown.