Unraveling the Secrets of the Cotton Bollworm Genome

Scientist from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), University of Melbourne and Baylor College of Medicine in the US are one step closer to deciphering the cotton bollworm genome. Insights from the bollworm genome will facilitate the development of new and more sustainable ways of controlling one of the world’s worst agricultural pests.

The cotton bollworm, also known as the corn earworm or tomato grub, ranks as one of the most polyphagous and cosmopolitan pests, causing an annual damage of $5 billion globally. It is resistant to nearly every class of chemical pesticide and threatens the long-term effectivity of transgenic crops which are reliant on the Bt proteins.

The complete genome sequence will help scientists develop strategies to prevent the moth from developing resistance to Bt crops. It  may also shed light on the biology of its American cousin, the cotton earworm. The team is expected to sequence the moth’s genome in about four months.

Read more at http://www.csiro.au/news/MothGenome.html