How do the Bt Endotoxins Work?
The Bt toxins kill the larvae of certain species of insects after being ingested by the larvae. These Bt toxins cause death by attaching to specific receptors in the larval gut, eventually rupturing the gut and killing the larvae in a few days. The toxins kill only the target pests because only the target pests contain the necessary binding receptors. When organisms without the specific receptor ingest the same toxin, the toxin does no harm Top of Page • Use Sites, Target Pests, And Application Methods • Use Sites: Larvae of certain kinds of insects See Table • Target pests: Virtually all agricultural crops including fruits, vegetables, corn, cotton, and nuts; turf; forests; ornamentals; landscape trees; nursery crops. • Application Methods: Hand spraying, aerial spraying, ground-based methods, using irrigation systems, and other ways. Top of Page • Assessing Risks to Human Health EPA has evaluated Bacillus thuringiensis delta endotoxins encapsulated in killed Pseudomonas fluorescens f
