or do a transgenic plant developed using multiple genes might be more effective in inducing and maintaining resistance? please explain
Attached is a good paper for your question:
As stated in the article: "To prolong the efficacy of individual Bt toxins as transgenic control agents, multiple Bt genes, encoding different toxins with different modes of action, have been incorporated into plants." In the paper, you can see, three different Bt genes (Cry1Ac,Cry2Ab and Vip3A) were added one by one into a transgenic plant for prolong protection. You can read the reasons (why different Bt gene is needed) in the paper (Introduction section).
Title: Insect Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis Toxin Cry2Ab Is Conferred by Mutations in an ABC Transporter Subfamily A Protein
Citation:
"Some insects have already developed resistance to Bt, most importantly the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), regarded as one of the most destructive crop pests worldwide. Bt-resistant insects apparently are able to detoxify the bacterial proteins quickly and thus survive. Interestingly, Bt resistance appears to harm the insect’s fitness when Bt is not present; in other words, resistant individuals do not reproduce well so that resistance is quickly lost in the larger population when Bt is not applied. This “resistance instability” may explain why Bt resistance is uncommon in pest insect populations. " Linda Chalker-Scott, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Puyallup Research and Extension Center, Washington State University
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Biological Science
- Zoology
- Invertebrate Zoology
- Arthropods
- Insects