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BOOK REVIEW: USING INSECT-RESISTANT GM CROPS WITHIN IPM PROGRAMS Insect pests remain one of the major constraints to food and fiber production worldwide, despite a range of techniques deployed by farmers to protect their crops. Modern pest control is guided by the principles of integrated pest management (IPM), with pest-resistant germplasm as an important part of the foundation. Biotechnology has allowed the development of novel, genetically modified (GM) crops that express genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and produce proteins toxic to insects. Since 1996, when the first Bt maize variety was commercialized in the USA, the area planted to insect-resistant Bt varieties has grown dramatically, representing the fastest adoption rate of any agricultural technology in human history. In 2007, insect-resistant Bt corn and cotton plants were grown in 22 countries on 42.1 million hectares (104 million acres). A newly released book, Integration of Insect-Resistant Genetically Modified Crops within IPM Programs, provides the first comprehensive synthesis of the role of insect-resistant GM crops in crop protection. The book was edited by Jörg Romeis (Agroscope ART, Switzerland), Anthony Shelton (Cornell University, USA), and George Kennedy (North Carolina State University, USA) with the goal of providing an overview of the role insect-resistant GM plants play in different crop systems worldwide. A total of 42 authors from around the globe reviewed the latest available information on insect-resistant GM crops, ranging from their biological and ecological activity to their economic and social impact. The editors hope the book will contribute to a more rational debate about the role GM crops can play in IPM for food and fiber production. Norman Borlaug and Tom Lumpkin, Director General of CYMMT, provide strong endorsements for the book. The book content and ordering information is available at http://www.springerlink.com/content/978-1-4020-8372-3?sa_ campaign=email/NBA. |