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P A N U P S
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Pesticide Action Network
North America
Updates Service
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March 23, 1995
U.S. EPA Approval of Bt-Potato Imminent
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is about to
approve the first registration of a genetically engineered
pesticidal plant -- a potato that produces a Bt toxin.
Monsanto, a U.S. based, multi-national corporation, has
placed an insecticidal toxin gene from Bacillus thuringiensis
(Bt) in potatoes to kill Colorado beetles that feed on the
plant. The commercialization of the Bt-potato poses a serious
threat to organic and low-input farmers who rely on Bt sprays
to control the potato beetle. Widespread use of Bt in
potatoes is likely to increase the rate at which the Colorado
potato beetle develops resistance to Bt, which would in time
render Bt sprays ineffective.
In a recent letter, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS)
urged the EPA not to approve registration of the Bt potato
pending development of workable resistance management
strategies. According to UCS, despite the fact that Monsanto
and other companies have been developing Bt crops for many
years, they still have not provided detailed strategies to
delay resistance. Unless insect resistance is addressed, the
Bt-potato would provide only short-term relief from synthetic
insecticides.
In addition to the Bt-potato, Bt-corn (developed by Ciba-
Geigy and Mycogen) and Bt-cotton (Monsanto) are also waiting
for EPA registration. Insect resistance in corn and cotton
is a very serious problem, since both corn and cotton are
planted in large acreage in the U.S., while potatoes, by
contrast, are a relatively minor crop. The Union of
Concerned Scientists maintains that if Bt-corn and Bt-cotton
were to replace even a portion of traditional corn and cotton
acreage, corn and cotton insect pests would experience a
dramatic increase in Bt exposure, accelerating the evolution
of Bt resistance. In addition to potatoes, corn and cotton,
other Bt-containing plants under development include
tobacco, apples, canola, rice, tomatoes and walnuts.
Bt is a ubiquitous, naturally occurring bacterium that has
been used commercially as a biological insecticide for over
20 years. It lives in a variety of habitats, including soil
and plant leaves, and produces proteins that kill insect
larvae. There are many strains of Bt which kill different
groups of insects; however, most strains contain toxins that
kill lepidopteran insects (moths and butterflies). Bt
applied externally to crops has several advantages over
synthetic insecticides. When exposed to light, it generally
degrades rapidly, and it does not appear to be toxic to
humans or other mammals. In addition, BtUs spectrum of
activity is much narrower than synthetic chemical pesticides,
which generally kill a wide range of beneficial insects in
addition to targeted pests.
The evolution of Bt resistance has taken some in science and
industry by surprise. Although resistance has long been a
problem with synthetic pesticides, it was not observed during
the first 15 years of Bt use. This observation led some to
believe that there was something special about biological
pesticides that prevented insects from developing resistance,
but this turned out not to be true.
To protect organic and sustainable agriculture farmers, UCS
urged EPA to assemble panels of experts to assess the
potential impacts of Bt-corn and Bt-cotton, and to devise
research programs that can provide workable resistance
management strategies to significantly delay resistance in
pests of these two crops. UCS also believes that scientific
advisory panels should be more diverse, including
representatives of environmental, organic and sustainable
agriculture organizations. At the most recent meeting, the
scientific advisory panel consisted of conventional farming
and biotechnology advocates and one conventional potato
grower. None of the panel members addressed scientific
issues important to organic or low-input sustainable
agriculture farmers.
Source: UCS letter to Dr. Lynn Goldman, EPA, March 15, 1995;
The Gene Exchange, April 1992.
Contact: Dr. Jane Rissler, UCS, 1616 P Street NW, Suite,
Washington DC 20036; phone (202) 332-0900; fax (202) 232-
0905.
Action: UCS urges readers to send letters as soon as possible
to Dr. Lynn Goldman, Assistant Administrator, EPA, OPPTS, 401
M Street NW, Washington DC 20460; fax (202) 260-2902. Urge
EPA not to approve MonsantoUs Bt-potato or any other Bt-crop
until EPA has in place workable, enforceable resistance
management strategies to prevent the loss of Bt as a
biocontrol insecticide for organic and low-input sustainable
agriculture farmers.
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