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Biotechnology and Agriculture - Coggle Diagram
Biotechnology and Agriculture
crop pests
microrganisms
virous
bacteria
fungi
infections
insects
insecticides - pestisides
disvantages
are relatively nonspecific
kill beneficial insects
pesticides have toxic effects on other groups of organisms,
many insecticides persist in the environment for a long time.
Plants that Make Their Own Insecticides (BT Plants)
BT plants
transgenic crops
use far fewer pesticides.
B thuringiensis
produces a protein that is toxic to the insect larvae that prey on it.
protein becomes active at high pH
binds specifically to the gut cells
killing insects
gene
protein
this protein is not toxic for the human kind
because our stomach pH in too low
The toxin gene from B thuringiensis
isolated
inserted
gene
crop with this added gene
BT plants produce
the insecticide in their tissues
farmers growing these transgenic crops use far fewer pesticides.