Beetle Develops Resistance To Monsanto's Genetically Modified Corn

WASHINGTON -- Corn beetles have been consuming plants that were genetically modified to be resistant to that very beetle, raising fears that a new superbug could develop or that farmers could be forced to increase the use of pesticides.

In a study published late last month, Iowa State University entomologist Aaron Gassmann found that western corn rootworms (WCR) in four Iowa fields have developed resistance to an insect-killing protein derived from Bacillus thuringiensis, also known as Bt, the natural insecticide in Monsanto's genetically modified corn plant.

While there's still no evidence that any significant number of the pests have become resistant to the genetically modified seeds sold by agribusiness giant Monsanto, the findings may have farmers looking for alternatives.

Laboratory testing confirmed beetles were able to pass on Bt-resistance to their offspring.

"These results suggest that improvements in resistance management and a more integrated approach to the use of Bt crops may be necessary," Gassmann wrote in his study.

But Monsanto, which first released the genetically modified seeds in 2003, said the vast majority of customers are still getting good returns from the technology.

"These products continue to perform very well for growers in 2011, providing the expected level of WCR control on more than 99% of the acres planted with this technology," Monsanto wrote in a statement on its website.

AFP reported that Michael Gray, a crop scientist at the University of Illinois, is investigating whether pests that devoured genetically modified corn in Illinois earlier this year have also developed resistance to the plant's toxins.

To curb the development of resistance, Monsanto is recommending that farmers rotate crops, using non-Bt corn and SmartStax seeds introduced in 2010 to kill the pests in a new way.

The four fields in which the pests were found had been planted with the genetically modified seeds for at least three consecutive years.

Comments

[Jon David Peterson]

09:12 PM on 09/07/2011

It's not clear enough to Farmers that these seeds supplied are not Heirloom seeds anyhow? Is it worth having to be dependent on buying the seeds each season and more expensive ones as the Super Beetle modifies itself for advanced combat? The factory farming of bees is unsustainable as it is and they cannot survive pollination of Monsanto toxicity. How are you going to pollinate any crop without bees other than create more wind?

[jerrypl]

09:37 AM on 09/02/2011

As Monsanto's mad scientists develop strains of resistant crops, Mother Nature's insects laugh in their face by becoming a more resilient crop insurgent. This process seems to end up poisoning the end user---families eating corn and the other Monsanto Toxic Crops.

[lefty93]

01:24 PM on 09/02/2011

When are people going to wake up and realize Mother Nature is more powerful than all of us. She will always get the last laugh.

[girldog]

07:06 AM on 09/02/2011

Here's an interesting summary re why Monsanto has such an easy time getting their new products to market without adequate research:

http://healthfreedoms.org/2011/08/29/monsantos-roundup-may-end-bananas-canaries-in-the-mine/

"What is absolutely clear is that all of America’s regulating agencies that might stop the scourges of glyphosate and genetically modified crops have gone rogue. The USDA, as documented above, is a rogue agency—clearly in the pocket of Monsanto. The Environmental Protection Agency could certainly do something to regulate glyphosate out of existence, but…well, they just don’t seem interested. And forget about the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Its entire food division is run by Michael Taylor, a Monsanto devotée whose entire career has been as a Monsanto or working to benefit Monsanto."

[mudshark12]

01:09 AM on 09/02/2011

Nature always finds a way around the tinkering of man. Monsanto don't know to leave well enough alone. I'm also hearing that certain weeds have become resistant to round-up.

[ottomh tm]

01:05 AM on 09/02/2011

Nature overcomes science.

[HenryDavid]

11:31 PM on 09/01/2011

Any U.S. politician who has taken PAC funds from Monsanto should be allowed to eat only GM foods for 5 years. Or, they could work in a Roundup-soaked farm field for a week and live on a diet of western corn rootworms.

[mistergg69]

10:33 PM on 09/01/2011

Big hat Perry needs to read this article of evolution at work

[birddogs]

10:19 AM on 09/02/2011

Perry reads?

[HazelPethigFan]

09:50 PM on 09/01/2011

the pure ignorance spewed by the AntiScience/AntiGMO zealots on this website is actually hilarious. Keep it up you marrooons.

[girldog]

07:12 AM on 09/02/2011

"Keep it up you marrooons"

Will do Hazel, but only if you keep spewing your tired rhetoric, ad hominem attacks, and links to Monsanto sponsored "research". What fun we have while Monsanto makes billions destroying the world's food supply!

[luv2talkjh]

08:27 AM on 09/02/2011

Ok, it's not like they knew the beetle would develop a resistance to it. Now they can come up with a better way to rid of the beetles. It's trial and error, it's not like they intended for that to happen. And chemicals are how we keep the crops alive and going. I live on a farm and if we don't spray the crops every once and awhile, the bugs will eat it all and the weeds will kill the crop. It's common sense. Also, to everyone who's going with the "organic is better" view, I can bet you otherwise. Organic has not been sprayed with chemicals or modified nothing. Which means it could have a number of diseases, parasites, etc. Take cattle for example. We raise calves too and when they reach a certain size, we give them medicine to rid of and prevent them from getting worms and other internal parasites. People say all the time that doing that isn't good in their meat, but would you rather have that, or have some parasite in your food and then in you. By the time the cattle are market ready, that medicine won't do anything to you when you eat them.

[drmindhealer]

09:10 PM on 09/01/2011

You'd think that the smart folks at Monsanto would take a few lessons from antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Apparently, greed and ego won out once again and Mother Nature was underestimated.

[Lora Taber]

08:18 PM on 09/01/2011

Brought to you by Monsanto, single-handed destroyer of natural seeds passed down for generations, the creator of amazing products like DDT, PCBs, Agent Orange, Superweeds --- It's the Superbeetle, another environmental catastrophe in the making!!

How such a sinister company has been able to remain the monopoly it is says everything about how truly corrupt our government can be.

[HazelPethigFan]

09:59 PM on 09/01/2011

Seeds passed down for generations?

hahahahahaha.

We've been modifying plant genes for thousands of years. now we are very good at it and the antiScience zealots hhate it.

[Lora Taber]

11:06 AM on 09/02/2011

You do know that Monsanto makes seeds that are non-replenishing, right? That means farmers MUST BUY new seeds each year from Monsanto, whereas farmers used to save seeds from the prior year. Monsanto controls our food supply, and I think that should bother people.

[hayness]

12:05 PM on 09/03/2011

We're not anti-science (in fact, I love science. As an atheist, I'm often informed that science is my religion.), we're pro-eating. No one's going to survive if we kill off our crops. Moreover, many of Monsanto's crops cause genetic damage that we're only beginning to find out about. And Monsanto's Roundup Ready crops rely on the heavy use of Monsanto's herbicide rather than tilling to control weeds. Who needs that in their food?

Science can be used for evil as well as good. Maybe you should look into the science of why many oppose Monsanto.

[undsoweiter]

07:07 PM on 09/01/2011

And who didn't see that coming? Perhaps a better headline would have been "Monsanto Creates Genetically Modified Beetle"

[peegan]

08:58 PM on 09/01/2011

I am sure they are filing a patent on it as we speak.  :-)

[HazelPethigFan]

10:02 PM on 09/01/2011

how about the organic farmers who spray Bt pesticides on their organic crops. (...oh yes they do). Are they to blame too?

Why not?

http://web.pppmb.cals.cornell.edu/resourceguide/mfs/02bacillus_thuringiensis.php

[lefty93]

01:28 PM on 09/02/2011

Are you a Monsanto employee hired to troll message boards for negative comments?

[Moose Luck 99]

04:44 PM on 09/01/2011

Corporations are my frenemy :)

http://www.naturalnews.com/033473_vaccines_thimerosal.html

[judibluiz]

04:32 PM on 09/01/2011

Nature will out.

We must also keep in mind that humans might be natures only mistake.

[HenryDavid]

03:30 PM on 09/01/2011

So predictable. I imagine the next sales pitch from biotechs will be for "Super GM Seeds--The Next Generation."

In a related issue, I must say this increases my admiration for the Haitians. Even in their extreme poverty and reeling from the death and destruction of the earthquakes there--even then they rejected all GM seeds "offered" by Monsanto.

[PlayTOE]

04:34 PM on 09/01/2011

Monsanto cannot fool Mother Nature.

The beetles want to eat, and when faced with a choice of resistant corn or no corn they choose to eat what is available. Anything less than a 100% kill rate leads to evolution.

[lefty93]

01:30 PM on 09/02/2011

Monsanto must be going by the creationist theory for food production.

[girldog]

08:40 PM on 09/01/2011

One of the greatest hopes I have for Haiti is that they will continue to reject Monsanto's seeds.

[HenryDavid]

12:35 AM on 09/02/2011

I share the same hope. The Haitians are a beacon to the world in the choice they made and standing strong on this.

[mystshy]

02:27 PM on 09/01/2011

these is bad news for the poor countries.......................

[girldog]

07:21 AM on 09/02/2011

"these is bad news for the poor countries"

It certainly is. Monsanto has a history of targeting poor countries by donating seeds. They then become Monsanto-dependent. One such country Haiti, has shown that they would rather starve to death than let Monsanto infiltrate their lives, their soil and their food supply.

http://www.haitian-truth.org/gmo-seed-refused-in-haiti/