3 Responses to “Are Bt toxins used in transgenic papayas to fight off aphids?”

1. 

   greasy_r February 26th, 2010 at 1:09 am

   No form of Bt is effective against aphids, stinkbugs or any hemipteran.

   The papaya was transformed to make it resistant to the virus PRSV by ‘pathogen-derived resistance’, where genes from the pathogen were inserted into the plant. (PRSV is transmitted by aphids)
   References :
   http://www.apsnet.org/education/feature/papaya/

2. 

   donfletcheryh February 26th, 2010 at 1:20 am

   When it comes to aphids we can fight them with ladybugs, but not Bt. Transgenic Papayas do not yet resist aphids, only the disease they carry.
   References :

3. 

   KaushikP 's Quality Input February 26th, 2010 at 1:47 am

   Bt toxin is only effective on Lepidopteran insects ex.Cotton Bollwarm, Tobacco Budwarm,European corn borer etc.
   References :