Question

How do pest resistant plants work?

• A. They have thick leaves which cannot be eaten by pests
• B. They have genes that produces toxins that kill pests
• C. They grow in areas where pests cannot survive
• D. None of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is B They have genes that produces toxins that kill pests

Pest resistant plants such as Bt-cotton and Bt-brinjal have the cry gene from a bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis, that produces crystal toxins. These toxins are harmless to humans but are fatal to a variety of pests. The cry gene is responsible for producing the Cry protein that binds to specialized recpetors on the midgut of the pests and induces bleeding which eventually kills off the pests.