Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)

Bacillus thuringiensis (bt) is a bacterium that naturally occurs in soil and on both wild and domesticated plant species. Some varieties of this bacterium produce a protein that acts as a natural insecticide, toxic to certain classes of insect larvae, including moth and butterfly as well as some varieties of beetle and fly larvae. As a result, Bt is a natural insecticide used in traditional agricultural production systems, as well as applied in higher-intensity modern agriculture, usually sprayed directly on crops. In the latter form, the bacterium is a product marketed as an insecticide under numerous trade names. Because the toxins break down quickly when exposed to ultraviolet light and other environmental factors, Bt is considered an attractive, organic, and environmentally friendly form of pesticide, ...