Corn rootworm develops resistance to GM corn's Bt toxin

(http://gizmodo.com) A study recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has shown that the western corn rootworm, a pest that destroys corn crops, is quickly becoming increasingly resistant to the Bt toxin produced by genetically modified corn. Cry3Bb1 and mCry3A, two strains of corn that have been spliced with genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, are being significantly harmed by rootworms that have developed resistance to the pesticidal plants.

Like superweeds evolving to overcome herbicide, this is just another example of how nature finds a way around toxic chemicals and gene manipulation, leading to bigger, hardier, more destructive pests, which illustrates the need for more diversity and organic agriculture.