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Resistance to bt corn higher in some areas

It’s been 20 years since bt corn became available for farmers.  A Purdue researcher says there have been some changes over the years. 

Christian Krupke from Purdue University tells Brownfield he’s taking a retrospective look at bt corn, what traits were introduced and when, where resistance has developed, and why.  He says for resistance, location matters. “How well they work depends where you live. In many areas of the corn belt, we don’t have reports of resistance. The traits are still highly-effective and reliable and so on. In other areas, it’s a different story where you have resistance to one or multiple traits.”

Krupke says rotating crops can help extend the viability of the traits but, “Not every farmer can or will or wants to rotate to soybeans or to any other crop for a variety of reasons but failing that, rotation of traits is an effective way to keep the pest off balance. If it isn’t exposed to a bt rootworm trait in a given year, you’re buying a year down the road.”

Krupke spoke to Brownfield during the Wisconsin Agri-Business Association Classic in Madison.

AUDIO: Christian Krupke from Purdue University discusses bt corn and rootworms with Brownfield’s Larry Lee