Question

Name the pest that destroys the cotton bolls. Explain the role of Bacillus thuringiensis in protecting the cotton crop against the pest to increase the yield.

Answer 1

Soil bacterium Bacillus thuringenesis produces proteins that kill certain insect-like tobacco budworm, Beatles, flies, mosquitoes etc. It forms some protein crystal which is the insecticidal point the BT toxin protein exist as inactive protoxin but once insect ingests the inactive toxin it is converted into an active form of toxin due to the alkaline pH of the alimentary canal of insect. The protein binds to the surface of the epithelial cell and creates pores that cause cell swelling and the eventual death of the insect. The BT toxin is insect group specific. Cotton bollworm destroyed the cotton balls and the BT toxin was used to manufacture the BT cotton which was a genetically modified crop.