Persistence of Bt Toxins Related to Soil Organic Matter Content
June 5, 2008| |
A recent survey in China demonstrated the agricultural benefits of planting pest-resistant transgenic plants, including reduction of pesticide use and human poisonings and increase of net incomes for farmers. But concerns on the possible ecological effects of GM crops, such as the persistence of Bt toxins in soil, remain.
Scientists from Zhejiang University in China and University of California Riverside evaluated the absorption and desorption of the Cry1Ab toxin from Bt rice on different soil matrices (bentone, kaolin, and humic acids) and well-characterized soils under laboratory conditions. The team found out that adsorption of the Cry1Ab protein is positively related to the soil organic matter content. Results of the study are expected to improve the understanding of the environmental behavior of Bt toxins, especially in China where farmers usually return Bt rice straw to the field as a soil amendment after harvest.
The abstract of the paper published by the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry is available at http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/asap.cgi/jafcau/asap/html/jf800162s.html
| |
Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.
-
See more articles:
-
News from Around the World
- Diouf Calls for US$30 Billion to Eradicate Hunger
- Developing Countries Need Tools to Monitor Biotech
- Agricultural Researchers Call for a Revolution in Sustainable Agriculture
- From Intentions to Implementation
- Partnership to Boost Agricultural Production in Africa's "Breadbasket Regions"
- INRA to Boost Tunisian Agricultural Research
- New Rice Varieties in Africa Ease Effect of Rice Crisis
- Scientific Innovations will Trigger Green Revolution in Africa
- Proteins Making up Plant “Touch Responsive” Channels
- Bt Plants Less Likely to Affect Non-Target Arthropods
- Beneficial Bacteria Help Control Pathogen in Vegetables
- Fiji Dwarf Coconut is One Tough Nut
- US Agricultural Exports Total $108 Billion
- Brazil Soybean Production Record High
- Antibacterial Textile Dyes
- EMBRAPA Launches New Herbicide Tolerant Soybean Varieties
- Dow, Mertec and M.S. Technologies in Soybean Collaboration
- Limited Release of GM Cotton with Waterlogging Tolerance
- RP Agric Secretary Proposes Global Food Reserves
- Gene Flow Between GM and Conventional Maize in the Netherlands
- International Biodiversity Commitments Welcomed
- Moderating Food Prices Through Biotechnology
-
Research Highlights
- Persistence of Bt Toxins Related to Soil Organic Matter Content
- Scientists Identify Gene Family Associated with Fungal Pathogenicity
- Mammalian “Cell Suicide” Gene Enhances Plant Pathogen Resistance
-
Announcements
- Workshop on Agroforestry and Tree Genetics in Africa
-
Resources
- CAST Publications Available Online
-
Read the latest: - Biotech Updates (April 30, 2025)
- Gene Editing Supplement (April 30, 2025)
- Gene Drive Supplement (February 22, 2023)
-
Subscribe to BU: - Share
- Tweet