Current

Status

Controversies
Bt mostly focuses on
worms and no other
pests such as the
tarnished plant, clouded
plant bug, and the
stinkbug. This decreases
the amount of resistance
it has to overall pests.
There is also a low public
health risk, considering
that it could be ingested.
Bt cotton also has been
shown to affect
butterflies. And finally Bt
cotton seeds are more
expensive than regular
cotton seeds.

Bt Cotton was
adopted by growers
in the western
Cotton Belt, and by
the growers in the
Mid South and
Southeast.
Companies are also
developing Bt Cotton
but it hasnt been
introduced
commercially.

BT
COTTON

By: Ivanna Navarro

5th Period

Description of
Desirable
Traits
Results
How is it
modified?

Considering that regular

cotton attracts multiple
pesticides such as Pink
Bollworms or Tobacco
Budworms, it has been
genetically modified to
form Bt cotton. Bt cotton
was made by inserting
one or more genes of the
common soil bacterium,
Bacillus thuringiensis.
These genes allow the
plant to produce toxins
that protect it. The next
generation of Bt cotton
was introduced in 2003
as Bollgard II.

Resistance against
pesticides such as
budworms and Pink
Bollworms
Eliminate pest
infestation to
increase cotton
production
Lower
environmental
hazards
Reduce cost of
pesticides

The modified cotton is

limited to caterpillar
pests. Because of
Bollgard IIs wider range
of caterpillar pests, there
is an increase in
production of cotton due
to the effectiveness of
the genes. The cost of
cultivating has also
extremely reduced along
with the risk if farming.
Bt Cotton also matures
faster than regular
cotton. These benefits
have increased the
overall production of
cotton.