Question

Bt cotton is resistant to:

• A. Bacteria
• B. Fungi
• C. Insects
• D. Nematodes

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Insects

• Bt cotton is a genetically modified crop designed to combat specific pests, primarily the bollworm. • The "Bt" stands for Bacillus thuringiensis, a soil-dwelling bacterium. • This bacterium naturally produces crystalline proteins (Cry proteins) that are toxic to specific insect larvae. • Scientists inserted the genes responsible for producing these toxins into the cotton plant's DNA. Now, when an insect attempts to eat the cotton, the toxin activates in its alkaline gut, creating pores that eventually kill the pest.