Bt Research 2024, Vol.15, No.2, 96-109 http://microbescipublisher.com/index.php/bt 96 Review and Progress Open Access Gene Stacking Strategies to Enhance the Durability of Bt Crops JiongFu Hainan Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China Corresponding email: jiong.fu@hitar.org Bt Research, 2024, Vol.15, No.2 doi: 10.5376/bt.2024.15.0010 Received: 02 Mar., 2024 Accepted: 12 Apr., 2024 Published: 27 Apr., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Fu, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Fu J., 2024, Gene stacking strategies to enhance the durability of Bt Crops, Bt Research, 15(2): 96-109 (doi: 10.5376/bt.2024.15.0010) Abstract As global agriculture faces the compounded challenges of increasing pest pressures, environmental stressors, and limited resources, enhancing the durability of genetically modified crops, particularly Bt crops, is crucial for ensuring food security and promoting sustainable agricultural development. This study analyzes gene stacking strategies aimed at enhancing the durability of Bt crops, reviews the development history of Bt crops and their significant role in pest management, and explores how gene stacking enhances crop durability through various mechanisms while effectively reducing the development of pest resistance. Through the analysis of multiple successful case studies, this study highlights the significant impact of gene stacking strategies in improving the durability of Bt crops and their clear advantages over single-trait strategies. Additionally, it discusses the technical and other challenges encountered during implementation and proposes new directions for the development of gene stacking technology to further enhance the durability of Bt crops, improve overall crop health and yield, and contribute to sustainable agricultural development. Keywords Bt crops; Gene stacking; Durability; Pest management; Sustainable agriculture 1 Introduction The advent of genetically modified (GM) crops expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins has revolutionized agricultural pest management by providing an effective and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical insecticides. Bt crops, which produce insecticidal proteins derived from the bacteriumBacillus thuringiensis, have been widely adopted globally due to their ability to control a broad spectrum of insect pests, thereby reducing crop losses and minimizing the need for chemical pesticide applications (MacRae et al., 2005; Pardo-López et al., 2013; Koul, 2020). However, the sustainability of Bt crops is threatened by the potential for insect pests to develop resistance to Bt toxins, necessitating the development of strategies to enhance the durability of these crops (Marroquin et al., 2000). Bt crops are genetically engineered to express one or more Cry proteins, which are toxic to specific insect pests. These proteins function by binding to receptors in the insect gut, forming pores that disrupt gut cells and ultimately lead to the insect's death (Pardo-López et al., 2013). The widespread adoption of Bt crops, such as Bt cotton and Bt maize, has significantly reduced the reliance on chemical insecticides, leading to economic and environmental benefits (Koul, 2020) However, the continuous exposure of insect populations to Bt toxins exerts selective pressure, which can lead to the evolution of resistance in target pest species (Zhao et al., 2005). The durability of Bt crops is crucial for maintaining their long-term efficacy and sustainability. Resistance management strategies are essential to delay the onset of resistance and prolong the effectiveness of Bt crops. One such strategy is gene stacking, or pyramiding, which involves incorporating multiple Bt genes encoding different Cry proteins into a single plant. This approach aims to provide a broader spectrum of pest control and reduce the likelihood of resistance development (Pardo-López et al., 2013; Koul, 2020). However, the concurrent use of single-gene and pyramided Bt plants can accelerate resistance if pests are exposed to similar toxins from both plant types (Zhao et al., 2005). Therefore, understanding and optimizing gene stacking strategies is vital for enhancing the durability of Bt crops.
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