Corn Rootworm Resistant Corn

Corn Rootworm Resistant Corn is a type of Bt corn. It is corn that has been genetically engineered to produce an insecticidal protein that is naturally made by a bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), in every cell of the plant. The GE corn variety is intended to kill the corn rootworm. However, by 2011, pests evolved resistance to Bt. Bt Crops and genetically modified organisms are controversial around the world.

Timeline
2002:
 * October 8: U.S. deregulates Monsanto's variety MON 863, which produces a Cry3Bb1 protein.

2003:
 * Monsanto commercializes MON 863 as "YieldGard Rootworm® Corn."
 * Monsanto also sells the MON 863 trait in a "stacked" variety called YieldGard Rootworm insect-protected corn stacked with Roundup Ready Corn 2.

2004:
 * Monsanto sells "YieldGard Plus corn," a product with both the corn rootworm resistance trait (MON 863) and a European corn borer resistance trait (MON 810).

2005:
 * Monsanto sells a "triple stacked" product called "YieldGard Plus with Roundup Ready Corn 2." This included both insect resistance Bt traits (MON 863 and MON 810) as well as its Roundup Ready 2 trait.
 * September 23: U.S. deregulates the variety DAS-59122-7, made by Mycogen Seeds/Dow AgroSciences LLC and Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. (DuPont). This variety produces a Cry34Ab1 protein and a Cry35Ab1 protein
 * December 14: U.S. deregulates Monsanto's variety MON 88017, which expresses a Cry3Bb1 protein


 * 2007:
 * March 16: U.S. deregulates Syngenta's variety MIR604, which contains a modified cry3A gene.

Corn Rootworm Resistant Products
The following products are genetically engineered with Bt genes that are intended to provide resistance to corn rootworm:

Monsanto:
 * YieldGard Rootworm® Corn (MON 863)
 * YieldGard Rootworm with Roundup Ready Corn 2 (MON 863 and NK603)
 * YieldGard Plus corn (MON 863 and MON 810)
 * YieldGard Plus with Roundup Ready Corn 2 (MON 863, MON 810, and NK603)
 * Genuity® SmartStax® (MON 88017, MON 89034, TC1507, and DAS59122-7)
 * Genuity® VT-Triple ™ (MON 810 and MON 88017)
 * Genuity® VT-Triple Pro™ (MON 88017 and MON 89034)
 * Seminis Performance Series Sweet Corn (MON 88017 and MON 89034)

Dow Agrosciences and Pioneer Hi-Bred International:
 * Herculex® RW (DAS59122-7)
 * Herculex® RW Roundup Ready® Corn 2 (NK603 and DAS-59122-7)
 * Herculex® Xtra (TC1507 and DAS59122-7)
 * Herculex® Xtra Roundup® Corn 2 (TC1507, NK603, and DAS59122-7)
 * SmartStax™ (MON 88017, MON 89034, TC1507, and DAS59122-7)

Pioneer Hi-Bred (DuPont):
 * Optimum® AcreMax® RW Rootworm Protection (NK603 and DAS-59122-7)
 * Optimum® AcreMax® Xtra Insect Protection (LibertyLink, YieldGard Corn Borer, TC1507, NK603, and DAS59122-7)

Syngenta:
 * Agrisure® RW
 * GT/RW (MIR604 and SYTGA21)
 * Agrisure® CB/LL/RW (Bt11 and MIR604)
 * Agrisure® 3000GT (Bt11, SYTGA21, and MIR604)

Related SourceWatch articles

 * GE Corn
 * Bt Corn
 * Bt Crops
 * Biotechnology
 * GMO Policies by Country
 * Bacillus thuringiensis
 * Bt-Resistant Insects
 * Genetically Modified Organisms
 * Monsanto
 * DuPont
 * Pioneer Hi-Bred

External resources

 * Know Before You Grow, National Corn Growers Association.
 * A Compendium of Biotech Corn Traits, Purdue University.
 * Know Before You Grow, National Corn Growers Association
 * A Compendium of Biotech Corn Traits, Purdue University.
 * GM Crop Database, Center for Environmental Risk Assessment
 * Overview of GMO Events Commercially Available and Regulatory Status
 * Novel Food Decisions - Approved Products, Health Canada.
 * Charles Benbrook, "Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops on Pesticide Use: The First Thirteen Years" and Supplemental Tables, The Organic Center, 2009.
 * "Failure to Yield: Evaluating the Performance of Genetically Engineered Crops," Union of Concerned Scientists, 2009.

External articles

 * G. Chandrashekhar, "Monsanto hopes India will clear Bt corn in 3 years," The Hindu, September 10, 2011.
 * Stephanie Bodoni, "French ban of modified maize dealt blow in court: Monsanto, 10 other companies, challenged action," STLToday.com, September 10, 2011.
 * Jack Kaskey, "Monsanto Corn Falls to Illinois Bugs as Investigation Widens," Bloomberg, September 2, 2011.
 * Clay Dillow, "Pests Are Developing Resistance to Monsanto's Engineered Supercorn," Popular Science, August 30, 2011.
 * Associated Press, "Monsanto shares slip on bug-resistant corn woes," Forbes, August 29, 2011.
 * Scott Kilman, "Monsanto Corn Plant Losing Bug Resistance," Wall Street Journal, August 29, 2011.
 * Dan Piller, "Beetle resistance reported to Monsanto BT corn," Des Moines Register, August 28, 2011.
 * Mike Gray, "Severe root damage to Bt corn confirmed in northwestern Illinois," Aces News, August 24, 2011.