"Rootworm" refers to a type of insect that feeds on the roots of plants, especially corn. It can cause damage to the plants and affect crop yield. Full definition
In addition to producing two Bt toxins to kill any western corn rootworm larvae that try to eat it, the plant produces a piece of RNA that shuts down a specific gene inside the larvae, killing them. (newscientist.com)
Turlings's team is now looking into creating super-resistant maize by inserting the gene for caryophyllene into plants that are already engineered to produce the Bt toxin against rootworms. (newscientist.com)
«The first evidence of rootworm resistance to Bt corn was discovered in Iowa in 2009,» said Dr. Bruce Tabashnik, the study's lead author and head of the entomology department at the University of Arizona. (sciencedaily.com)