Question

Prefix Bt in Bt cotton stands for

• A. Barium treated cotton seeds.
• B. Bio-technologically produced using restriction enzyme.
• C. Bigger-thread variety of cotton with better tensile strength.
• D. Variety of cotton having a toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis.

Answer 1

The correct option is D Variety of cotton having a toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis.

Bt stands for Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a common soil bacterium so called because it was first isolated in the Thuringia region of Germany. Bt produces a protein that paralyzes the larvae of some harmful insects, including the cotton bollworm and the Asian and European corn borers, all of which are common plant pests whose infestations produce devastating effects on important crops.