Pest Control
Members:
Leonardo Cabrera
Manuel Caizamo
Gabriela Camargo
Eric Rodríguez
Luzmar Villanueva
College & Class:
Colegio Bilingüe de Panamá
Writing and Grammar
Professor
Sofía Ballesteros
Date
5/5/2025
Introduction
Imagine a disease so dangerous that could annihilate one of the most beloved fruits in
the world, the banana. In reality, there is no need for imagination, because a disease that
holds the name of our nation has been affecting an 80% of the global banana trade. The
Panama disease is caused by a fungus called Fusarium oxysporum, which infects the
whole banana plant. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, America trembled affected by the
presence of a fungal disease that completely wiped-out thousands of hectares of the
Gros Michel banana variety in many Latin American countries.
Bananas could survive thanks to scientists that genetically modified them, and that is
what a GMO is, an organism whose genetic material has been modified through any
genetic engineering technique. The modifications made in their DNA grants them
multiple benefits of choosing. Benefits include immunity against a certain disease,
protection against pests and insects, a flavor magnifier, amongst many others. Scientists
eventually developed a new variety of banana that could overcome the disease;
however, the fungus quickly evolved into a new variant. Currently, it is the race 4 that’s
been affecting the Cavendish variant, the most modern variant and the only one that
could survive the other three fungus variants.
Objectives
Assess the sustainability of GMO-bases pest control
Find possible solution for the Panama disease
Understand how GMO pest control work
Evaluate the challenges of pest resistance
How GMO pest control works?
Some plants naturally produce chemicals that help protect them from pests like insects
and fungi. These chemical, such as saponins, glycoalkaloids, terpenoids, and phenolic
compounds, can harm and repel pests, or even change their behavior. For example, pests
may stop feeding, reproducing or staying on the plant. One useful chemical is avenacin
A-1, found in oat roots. It damages the membranes of certain fungi, making it toxic to
them. Because of this, oats can fight off harmful fungi that attack their roots.
Scientists have studied these natural defenses and used them to develop genetically
modified organisms (GMOs) for pest control. They insert specific genes into plant’s
DNA to give it new traits. These genes may come from other plans of even from
unrelated organisms, like bacteria. Once added, the genes help produce substances that
stop pests from attacking. This method offers a way to protect crops without always
needing pesticides. It also allows farmers to grow healthier crops with fewer pest-
related losses. GMO pest control is now widely used in crop like corn, cotton and
soybeans.
In some cases, traditional breeding doesn’t function because the plant doesn’t naturally
have strong resistance to pests, or the resistant plants have other problems, like poor
crop quality. That’s when GMOs are most helpful. Scientist can take useful traits from
one organism and add them to a crop, even if two couldn’t naturally breed. This helps
farmers grow plants that are both productive and protected. GMO pest control can
reduce that need for chemicals, save money, and increase food supply. It’s a powerful
too in modern agriculture.
Improving Pest Management with GMOs
Disseminating genetically modified (GM) maize technology to smallholder farmers in
the Eastern Cape province of South Africa: extension personnel’s awareness of
stewardship
Advice and technical information from extension services are critical in
promoting new technologies and their adoption by farmers. This study
determined extension personnel’s awareness of GM maize technology and the
associated extension services they provide to smallholder GM maize farmers in
the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Face-to-face interviews were
conducted with extension staff of the Department of Rural Development and
Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) in the province. Results indicated that inadequate
training of extension personnel on GM maize technology influenced their
perceptions of GM maize technology and awareness of its stewardship
requirements. Generally, personnel had a low level of awareness of GM maize
technology as a pest control strategy. Awareness of GM maize stewardship
requirements amongst extension personnel was also low. These extension
personnel disseminated GM maize technology, which they generally perceived
as a high-yield technology, to smallholder farmers using non-participatory
approaches and media sourced from GM seed companies. The findings of this
study suggest that ensuring safe and sustainable adoption of GM maize
technology on smallholder farms will require a more participatory extension
approach that emphasizes smallholder farmers’ access to information as well as
the training of extension personnel on the stewardship requirements and
dissemination practices associated with GM maize cultivation.
Examples of Pest-Resistant GMOs
Bt cotton is a genetically modified plant that produces toxins derived from Bacillus
thuringiensis, a bacterium that attacks insect pests. These toxins, known as Cry proteins,
are primarily effective against caterpillars of the order Lepidoptera, such as the tobacco
bollworm and the pink bollworm. Bt varieties, such as Bollgard II and Bollgard III,
express multiple toxins to improve efficacy and reduce the need for chemical
insecticides. In states like Tennessee, the use of Bt cotton has led to a significant
decrease in insecticide applications. This has also favored natural biological control. Bt
proteins are activated in the gut of insect larvae, where they destroy their digestive cells.
This causes them to die before they can cause damage to the crop.
However, the prolonged use of Bt cotton has created new challenges. Among them is
the increase in secondary pests such as bed bugs, which are not affected by Bt toxins.
Furthermore, some species have begun to show resistance to certain proteins, such as
Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab. To reduce this risk, it is recommended to implement resistance
management practices, such as the use of refuges with non-Bt plants. These areas allow
susceptible insects to survive, which reduces selection pressure. Rotating toxins
between crop cycles is also important. This extends the useful life of this technology.
Integrated strategies are essential to maintain its long-term effectiveness.
Conclusion
This research analyzes how GMOs have revolutionized pest control in agriculture by
offering more resistant crops and reducing the use of harmful pesticides. It also
evaluates plants that have been modified to protect themselves against viruses, fungi, or
insects. This demonstrated that GMO-based pest control can reduce the need for toxic
chemicals, protect food supplies, and support global agriculture. For examples, Bt
cotton that use toxins to improve and reduce the chemicals of insecticides. Through
time, GMOs have become a fundamental element for promoting economic and social
development.
However, studies determine the awareness of GM maize technology contributed to the
extension services for adoptions by farmers. Also, we develop issues like the continuous
use of Bt crops, creating new challenges to recommend the implementation of resistance
management strategies, such as the creation of refuges with non-Bt plants to allow
susceptible insects to survive and reduce selection pressure. Additionally, rotating crops
and toxins between growing seasons can help prolong the effectiveness of this
technology. In summary, while GMOs offer promising solutions for agriculture, their
long-term success depends on combining biotechnology with great innovation and
proper agricultural management strategies.
Evidence
Bibliography
America, C. L. (2024, February 26). Mal de Panamá: Control y manejo en bananos -
CropLife Latin America. Croplifela.org. https://croplifela.org/es/plagas/listado-de-
plagas/mal-de-panama
BT Cotton - UT Crops. (s. f.). UT
Crops. https://utcrops.com/cotton/insects-and-mites/biological-
control/bt-cotton/
Genetically Modified Pest-Protected Plants. (s. f.). Google
Books. https://books.google.com.pa/books?
hl=es&lr=&id=H1ebAgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=how+pest+protected+
plants%3F&ots=PzeXJKMoTR&sig=Q-
bGrINPYB34x3IbhCldX3e8yZ0&redir_esc=y
Google Scholar. (s. f.). https://scholar.google.com/scholar?
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&t=1746118096311&u=%23p%3DMLq-RPMRY8EJ
Panama disease - DAFF. (2025, April 3). https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-
trade/pests-diseases-weeds/plant/identify/panama-disease-tropical-race-4#daff-page-
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