5.6

• Pesticides: chemicals toxic to plants

  • Pests can artificially select for pests with resistance by killing all the non-resistant individuals, leaving only resistant ones
• GMOs:

  • gene for pest resistant trait is added to the plant through genetic modification
  • BT corn with bacteria gene that produces BT crystals toxic to pests
  • Roundup ready crops are GM to be resistant to broad herbicide meaning roundup will kill weeds by not crops
• • The GMO BT corn has decreased insecticide use, since corn makes its own insecticide
  • Roundup Ready crops have increased herbicide (glyphosphate) use since crops cannot be harmed by it
• GMOs & Genetic Diversity:

  • If there is disease or pest that does effect GM crops, they're vulnerable because of decreased genetic diversity