Publication - 13 December, 2002
Of the 40 million hectares of genetically engineered (GE) crops grown throughout the world in 1998, 22% (8.8 million hectares) were varieties developed to be resistant to insects. Most such crops are created by inserting a synthetic version of a gene from the naturally occurring soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), so that the plants produce their own Bt toxins to destroy pests. However, there is strong evidence to indicate that the rush to commercialise Bt crops will have serious environmental consequence