Abstract
One of the best modern agricultural defenses against plant-eating insects is Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt ), which either can be applied to the surface of the plant, to provide temporary protection, or can be genetically engineered into the plant to protect it against insects throughout its lifespan. Plants can be genetically engineered to produce their own Bt crystal protein (CP), which is toxic to the pest species of concern. As the insect feeds on the plant, it ingests the CP and suffers the same fate as if the leaf tissue was sprayed with Bt. The use of commercial crops expressing Bt toxins has increased in the recent years due to their advantages in plant protection and lower production costs, however, insects-developed resistance against plant defense mechanisms and the consequent effects of Bt -plants on non target species are hence considered disadvantages. This is still a controversial topic and the question is: Within the next few years, will Bt -plants provide hope for the future of crop protection?
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