Articles

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L) is a significant cash crop on which millions of farmers rely for their lives as well as the advancement of agriculture and industry. Sustainable cotton production has been severely reduced by bollworm infestations and farmers' over-reliance on chemical insecticides. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a beneficial soil bacterium whose genes are used to develop insect-resistant crops by producing cry proteins. Scientists transfer the gene responsible for producing these proteins into the cotton plant. As a result, a genetically modified plant continuously produces the Bt protein in its tissues. The target insect, bollworm, feeds on the plant and ingests the Bt protein. In the insect's alkaline gut, this protein becomes active and damages the insect's gut lining. Resultantly, the insect stops feeding and dies. In this article, the concept, varieties, mechanism of action, and process of Bt cotton, which selectively target insect pests while reducing the need for frequent insecticide applications, are highlighted.