Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

To: Scythian

Precisely. Folks, Bt is Bacillus Thuringiensis. This is one of the oldest and original natural pesticide bacterias. Those Freeper gardeners/farmers know this well. The bacillus is deadly to cabbage worms/other sucking worms on fleshy leaf vegetables and many fruiting vegetables. The “toxin” is toxic to the worms.

There is considerable evidence and information on what the “toxin” produced by the bacteria, actually is chemically. It is not a heavy metal, and it is not biologically active.

What has happened is that genetically modified corn has been modified to permit this bacteria to be taken up, such that nasty disgusting (crapping) corn worms and others are killed when they try to eat the corn.
If any one has info that the “toxin” has some biologic effect... let us know. This is not even as bad as Sevin.


11 posted on 05/25/2011 7:43:00 AM PDT by John S Mosby (Sic Semper Tyrannis)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies ]


To: John S Mosby
Some additional info and link to an EPA page on the Monsanto product... which is the actual protein that is what is called an “endotoxin” (an internal toxin) which in the case of corn is targeted and deadly to a corn beetle.
The corn MON869 genetically modified, has this in it's genes. So that's one way it is in a “brand” of corn.

As allmendream has pointed out, the endotoxin protein is also sold as a direct application spray for other crops.
But this stuff has been around, at least the bacillus itself, which you mix with a sticking agent (like cheap dish soap) and spray on your plants- worms eat it- then they die. Growing collards- we know all about it.

The funny thing is, this was and is one of the NON pesticides, natural killers, touted for 20 years or more by the “organic” health food people. The article is to target Monsanto,(read:tort lawyers) for the audacity to put the genes into corn for the corn to make its own “endotoxin” instead of having to spray it on. Now in the area of “sterile” seeds from Monsanto— that's a different subject and worthy of concern, if you can't save back seed stock for the next year and have to buy it each year from Monsanto.

We have lots of things in our environment in quantities that could be characterized as toxic— like, toxic water- drink too much and you'll die of edema if you can't pee enough.I do adhere to concern about the effect of free radicals on human bodies and aging, heart disease etc, though. That is proven rather well. So, all in context.

Here's the link to an exhaustive write up from EPA:
http://www.epa.gov/oppbppd1/biopesticides/ingredients/factsheets/factsheet_006484.htm

13 posted on 05/25/2011 8:03:14 AM PDT by John S Mosby (Sic Semper Tyrannis)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson