Insect-killing bacterium - Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt.

[ednaknightlora]

Apparently, for more than a decade farmers have been growing genetically modified sweet corn containing a gene from the insect-killing bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (scary).  Monsanto is now producing the seed. This strain of corn is designed to kill the larvae of corn rootworm.  

My question is - Can we not just inoculate the soil with good compost tea that has good diversity (perhaps including this specific bacteria) and let nature do the work as it was designed? The more I learn, the more upside down the thinking seems to be with these big chemical companies. 

From Monsanto's blog - 

"The Bt proteins in our corn are considered an environmentally-friendly way to control insects, because they are toxic only to a few specific types of insect pest. The Bt proteins and the bacterium that produces them are found naturally in soil. In fact, Bt proteins are used by organic growers to control these same insect pests; Bt proteins are the active ingredient in Dipel, the bio-insecticide most widely used by organic growers."

According to Monsanto, it is all natural. Monsanto's arogance in using technology to outsmart nature is going to backfire soon enough.

[Ingham, Elaine]

The problem is that mammals now are consuming a toxic chemical in each and every cell of the corn that is from GMO plants. The "long-term" effect is to cause ulceration of every organ involved in digestive processes.

Controlling the ear worm can be done without such massively negative side-effects. You need to have all the residue from any infected plant decompose completely before the next crop goes in. That means, all the eggs laid in the corn cob are eaten, any larval stages are consumed, thus preventing the next generation from existing.

Additionally, the plants need to be healthy and be getting all the properly balanced nutrients they require. The corn needs to be mycorrhizal. Which means, a full food web functioning......so the ear worm cannot attack the seed on the newly forming cob.

Elaine R. Ingham
Chief Scientist
Rodale Institute

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