 Oviposition behaviour of pest insects keeps Bt-cotton durably resistant
The oviposition behaviour of insect pests results in an improved durability of insect resistance in so-called Bt-crops, while promoting the survival of pest insects elsewhere in nature. This is the result of research carried out by the Plant Sciences Group of Wageningen UR in collaboration with the University of North Carolina (USA). Bt-cotton has been cultivated on a large scale in countries such as China, India and the US for over thirteen years now. During this period the crops’ resistance has hardly ever been broken. According to the scientists, this can likely be attributed to the fact that some insect pest individuals have a preference for laying eggs on other plants. The larvae from those eggs will develop normally, giving them a selective advantage. The results were recently published in the scientific journal Evolutionary Ecology.
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