Pros And Cons Of Bacillus Thuringiensis Cotton

Bacillus Thuringiensis Cotton Genetically modified organisms are genetically engineered with DNA from viruses, bacteria, plants, and animals. Advantages of GMOs include: an increase in yield, a rapid growth of organism, a decrease in pesticide use, and creating the “perfect” organism. The disadvantages of genetically modified organisms are that there are unknown long term health effects of consuming GMOs for humans, and environmental hazards. Some common GMOs are corn, papaya, and cotton. According to the National Cotton Council of America, cotton is one of the leading cash crop in the United States and the world uses it more than any other fiber. This crop is prone to become affected by pests called American bollworms. (“The Dying Fields,” 2007) As cotton farmers faced American bollworms as a challenge, the amount of pesticides used continue to rise.

These Bt Cotton seeds were quickly adopted by other countries and are used daily. The genetically modified organism, Bt Cotton affects the sustainability of its environment on Earth, and has its particular benefits and drawbacks. Bt cotton is genetically modified by the bacteria called, Bacillus Thuringiensis, hinting the abbreviation Bt. “In 1989, American agro-engineers developed the Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton seed, a genetically modified seed designed to grow cotton that resists the bollworm (“The Dying Fields,” 2007).” The seeds were first introduced in the United States in 1996 and other countries, such as China, Mexico, South Africa, and India. In “Genetically Modified and Sustainability,” written by Stephen Morse, it states, “There is certainly no evidence as yet for gene