Question

Which statement is correct about Bt cotton :-

• A. Contains a gene from jelly fish which makes it to glow in dark
• B. It contains a gene from Bacillus bacteria which is not useful to plants
• C. It contains a gene from Bacillus bacteria which kill the pests
• D. It contains a gene from Bacillus bacteria which kill other plants

Answer 1

The correct option is C It contains a gene from Bacillus bacteria which kill the pests

Bt cotton is a genetically modified organism (GMO) or genetically modified pest resistant plant cotton variety, which produces an insecticide to combat bollworm. Strains of the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis produce over 200 different Bt toxins, each harmful to different insects. Most notably, Bt toxins are insecticidal to the larvae of moths and butterflies, beetles, cotton bollworms and ghtu flies but are harmless to other forms of life. The gene coding for Bt toxin has been inserted into cotton as a transgene, causing it to produce this natural insecticide in its tissues. In many regions, the main pests in commercial cotton are lepidopteran larvae, which are killed by the Bt protein in the genetically modified cotton they eat.

So, the correct answer is 'C'.