Similar term(s): Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt gene , Bt crops.
Definition:
A naturally occuring bacteria that produces a protein toxic to certain types
of insects.
The gene inside the bacteria that is responsible for producing that toxin -
the Bt gene - can be transferred to crops, thereby making them more resistant to
the corresponding insect.
The Bt-toxin is poisonous to many moth and butterfly larvae, and some beetle
and fly larvae, but not to humans. It has been available as a commercial
insecticide since the 1960s.
