Publications by authors named "Angelique Abbott"
Article Synopsis
- Bt cotton is genetically modified to produce proteins that deter caterpillar pests, potentially lowering its natural defenses and benefiting herbivores like plant bugs.
- Research assessed how plant defenses influenced the performance of the plant bug Lygus hesperus by testing its growth on various Bt and non-Bt cotton plants, both damaged and undamaged.
- The study found that while Bt cotton showed increased levels of defensive compounds when treated with jasmonic acid (JA), L. hesperus nymphs thrived on undamaged or Bt-modified sources, suggesting that genetically engineered defenses may indirectly assist these herbivores by reducing competition with caterpillars.
