A group of 22 academic experts on corn pests have sent a letter, dated March 5, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warning that continued use of more pesticides on Monsanto’s genetically engineered corn is causing increasing resistance in the targeted rootworm.  Joseph Spencer, a corn entomologist with the University of Illinois, and Patrick Porter from Texas A&M University, are among the scientists who drafted the letter.  “[T]he group’s credentials are impressive.  It includes most of the non-corporate researchers who are currently trying to evaluate the extent and consequences of corn rootworm resistance.

The biotech corn, which contains a “protein referred to as ‘Cry3Bb1,” was genetically engineered by Monsanto to be toxic to the corn rootworm and, therefore, supposedly to reduce the amount of pesticide needed to control the pest.  However, evidence is growing that the toxic ingredient in the GE corn is becoming less effective causing rootworm damage and potential crop loss.  The problem of resistance to the GE corn has been found in several states, including parts of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

Monsanto’s response to the letter asserts that the excessive rootworm damage was “isolated to less than 0.2 percent of the acres planted with Monsanto rootworm-traited corn hybrids.”  Monsanto is also promoting another potential solution–a GE corn that “combines two different anti-rootworm genes” into a “pyramid” of genes.  The EPA is allowing this new type of corn, called “SmartStax,” to be planted on up to 95 percent of corn acres because it “should dramatically reduce the chances of insects developing resistance.”  Data has shown that the new corn is more effective than the single gene corn, but not nearly as effective as had been hoped.  “In addition, ‘SmartStax’ corn is being planted in areas where some insects may already be resistant to one of the genes, so it’s not a true pyramid.”

The researchers’ letter said that continuing to use the GE corn only increases development of rootworm resistance. The GE corn is being used even in areas where corn rootworm resistance is not needed, partly because of the difficulty of finding corn seed that has not been genetically engineered.  It seems that the use of GE corn even where not needed may increase resistance similar to the way antibiotic resistant bacteria have developed from overprescribing even when not effective and also from overuse in factory farming.

The economic cost of the potential spread of “corn rootworm resistance to genetically engineered crops could be enormous.”  Although rotating crops could help control rootworms, “that’s simply not an option for many farmers; they have to plant the most profitable crop–corn–in order to compete economically.”

Sources:

Insect Experts Issue ‘Urgent’ Warning On Using Biotech Seeds
U.S. scientists warn EPA on Monsanto corn rootworm

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