Bt Corn Borer

The applications of Bt corn are to produce a better quality corn that resists pests and parasites and will yield larger crops even in poor environmental conditions. The Cry1AB protein or Bt delta endotoxin located inside the Bt corn, is what is used to kill off Lepidoptera larvae, specifically the European corn borer, as they hatch and begin to feed on the plant as the protein is made by the plant in the tissue where these feed at. The Cry protein acts as a synthetic insecticide and is not affected by environmental degradation, which has made for a more efficient and impactful method. Before Bt corn, the European corn borer caused farmers to lose about 1 billion dollars each year (Witkowski, et. al.). But since the development of Bt corn, we have seen a dramatic increase in control of the European corn borer, as it has been effective 99% of the time (Witkowski, …show more content…
al.) The Bt Cry protein is very selective in its target, and will not affect the insects that actually benefit our environment such as honeybees, lady beetles, and many others. It is not toxic to other organisms in the environment, as well as to humans, which has given it approval by the EPA. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), BT corn has been labeled as just as nutritious and similar in taste to normal corn (Bessin). In a recent experiment, we have seen that Bt corn has higher yields of growth by 21 bushels per acre than non Bt corn, while being able to use lower levels of nitrogen more efficiently due to the fact that insects, like the European corn borer, can’t affect the root system which is the building block of the plant (Schneider). With roots not being destroyed, the Bt corn has been able to use nitrogen in the soil more effectively to help out their root systems with the intake of nutrients