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Name the pest that destroys the cotton bolls. Explain the role of Bacillus thuringiensis in protecting the cotton crop against the pest to increase the yield. |
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Answer» Cotton bollworms destroy the cotton bolls. Bacillus thuringienesis has Bt toxin genes. These genes produce toxic proteins that kill the pests. Bt toxins are initially inactive protoxins but after ingestion by the insect their inactive toxin becomes active due to the alkaline pH of the gut. The activated toxin binds to the surface of midgut epithelial cells thus killing the insects. Specific Bt toxins were isolated from Bacillus thuringienesisand incorporated into the cotton plants to make them pest resistant. |
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