GM Crops Increase Biodiversity

Widespread adoption of Bt cotton and insecticide decrease promotes biocontrol services

Over the past 16 years, vast plantings of transgenic crops producing insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have helped to control several major insect pests1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and reduce the need for insecticide sprays1, 5, 6.

Because broad-spectrum insecticides kill arthropod natural enemies that provide biological control of pests, the decrease in use of insecticide sprays associated with Bt crops could enhance biocontrol services7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

…Full Text: www.nature.com/nature/journal/v487/n7407/full/nature11153.html#/contrib-auth

Tags: China, ladybirds, lacewings, spiders, aphid pests, insecticide sprays, predators, maize, peanut, soybean, agricultural landscapes

Source

Nature, 2013-01-03.

Supplier

Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)
French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA)
Institute of Plant Protection China
National Agro-Technical Extension and Service Center
State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests

Share

Renewable Carbon News – Daily Newsletter

Subscribe to our daily email newsletter – the world's leading newsletter on renewable materials and chemicals

Subscribe