Bt Research 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 86-94 http://microbescipublisher.com/index.php/bt 86 Review Article Open Access Bt and Climate Change: Impacts on Efficacy and Distribution Guanli Fu , Zhen Li Hainan Institute of Biotechnology, Haikou, 570206, Hainan, China Corresponding author: guanli.fu@hibio.org Bt Research, 2025, Vol.16, No.3 doi: 10.5376/bt.2025.16.0011 Received: 08 Mar., 2025 Accepted: 23 Apr., 2025 Published: 05 May, 2025 Copyright © 2025 Fu and Li, 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 G.L., and Li Z., 2025, Bt and climate change: impacts on efficacy and distribution, Bt Research, 16(3): 86-94 (doi: 10.5376/bt.2025.16.0011) Abstract Climate change is affecting the efficacy and distribution of Bt crops. Environmental stress such as high temperatures, drought and increased carbon dioxide can reduce the production of insecticidal proteins by Bt crops and lower their ability to control pests. There is still a lack of research on the performance mechanism of Bt crops under extreme climates, so it is difficult to accurately predict future effects. Some pests around the world have developed obvious resistance to Bt crops, which has reduced the pest control effect of many crops in the field. Climate change will also affect the distribution, reproduction rate and drug resistance of pests and vector insects, thereby altering the applicable regions and control plans for Bt crops. In the future, to ensure the long-term effectiveness of Bt crops, it is necessary to combine resistance management, ecological adaptation and the application of new technologies. The aim of this study is to explore strategies for enhancing the pest control effect of Bt crops in the context of climate change. Keywords Bt crop; Climate change; Resistance evolution; Environmental stress; Distributed expansion 1 Introduction Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) technology is a genetic engineering method. It is widely used in agriculture, especially for cotton and corn. Crops can express Bt protein to kill major pests. This way, less pesticides are used, yields can be increased, and it is also more environmentally friendly. Since the end of the 20th century, Bt crops have been regarded as an important part of agricultural modernization and the green revolution. Many small-scale peasant economies hope that it can reduce poverty, increase income and help solve the pest problem in agriculture (Veettil et al., 2017). Now, global climate change is affecting agricultural ecosystems. The rise in temperature, changes in precipitation and the increasing number of extreme weather conditions will all affect crop growth, pests and diseases as well as farmers' lives. Some policymakers and technology promoters believe that Bt technology can help agriculture cope with these changes. They believe that the insect resistance and adaptability of Bt can enable crops to maintain yield under conditions such as high temperature and drought (Giron-Calva et al., 2020). However, the long-term performance of Bt crops under climate change is increasingly being questioned. Studies have found that although Bt crops can initially reduce pesticides and alleviate environmental stress (Veettil et al., 2017), with climate fluctuations, increased pest resistance, and complex changes in the ecosystem, its effects vary greatly in different regions and stages (Wang et al., 2022; Karamchedu, 2023). In some areas, pests have become more resistant to Bt protein, and pesticides have been used more frequently, even increasing the economic risks and debts of farmers. Moreover, environmental stresses such as high temperature and drought may also affect the expression of Bt protein and the pest resistance of crops, ultimately affecting ecological benefits and sustainability. This study aims to systematically sort out the impact and performance of Bt technology under climate change, and examine its advantages and limitations under different environmental and social conditions. We will search for and analyze relevant literature, with a focus on several aspects: the performance of different climate zones, the changing trends of pest resistance, ecological and environmental impacts, farmers' lives and economic outcomes, as well as sustainability and policy recommendations under future climate scenarios.
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