Screening of a peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cDNA library to isolate a Bowman-Birk trypsin inhibitor clone.

Peanut crop losses due to insect and pest infestation cost peanut farmers nearly 20% of their annual yields. The conventional use of chemicals to combat this problem is costly and toxic to humans and livestock and leads to the development of resistance by target insects. Transgenic plants expressing a trypsin inhibitor gene in tobacco and cowpea have proven to be efficient for resistance against insects.