Bt Research 2025, Vol.16, No.4, 168-181 http://microbescipublisher.com/index.php/bt 178 improved (Zhao et al., 2016). Some studies have found that after the cotton bollworm is controlled by Bt cotton, corn, soybean and other crops planted around the cotton fields are also less harmful to cotton bollworms, which is a spillover effect of regional ecological services. Secondly, the promotion of Bt crops can reduce agricultural non-point source pollution. Less injection of pesticides means less chemical pesticide residues lost to water bodies and soil, which is conducive to improving the quality of waters and soil habitats around farmland. This has a positive effect on protecting insects, amphibians, etc. in the pastoral ecology. Some studies have pointed out that Bt crops can also reduce the incidence of certain fungal diseases because the number of wounds caused by pest feeding is not conducive to pathogen invasion. For example, the intactness rate of Bt corn ears is high, and the ear rot and mildew caused by insect injuries are reduced. This reflects the long-term benefits of Bt technology for healthy crop growth. 8 Socio-Economic and Policy Levels Impact 8.1 Changes in farmers' income and agricultural production costs The most direct impact of the application of Bt genetically modified crops on the agricultural economy is reflected in farmers' income and production costs. Taking Chinese cotton farmers as an example, according to research statistics, planting Bt cotton can save about 50 yuan per mu of pesticides and manual application costs, and at the same time increase production and income by about 100 yuan, thereby increasing the net income per mu by about 150 yuan. According to Indian data, Bt cotton increases farmers' average income by about 50%, which is a very considerable increase in the small peasant economy. In corn cultivation, farmers also earn higher incomes due to the more stable harvest and improved quality of Bt corn. It is estimated that the cumulative increase in global GM corn production between 1996 and 2018 brought about an additional benefit of approximately US$50 billion, a considerable part of which comes from the contribution of Bt corn. In Brazil, Bt corn reduces multiple drug spending, reduces planting costs per hectare by about $30, while increased yields bring about an additional benefit of about $50 per hectare, and an overall increase of $80 per hectare. In addition, the indirect benefits of Bt crops include savings in labor costs. As the number of sprays is reduced, farmers can devote more time to other production activities, increasing labor productivity. Farmers’ health risks are also reduced, as less exposure to large amounts of toxic pesticides means a potential reduction in medical expenses (Yang et al., 2024). 8.2 Consumer acceptance and marketing issues The acceptance of Bt genetically modified crops on the consumer side has an important impact on their marketing. Since Bt crops mainly change their insect resistance traits and usually do not directly affect the nutrition and flavor of food, consumers often find it difficult to detect the difference. However, the public's perception and attitude towards GMO technology itself will affect their acceptance of foods containing Bt ingredients. Consumers in some developed countries still have doubts about genetically modified foods, especially in the EU, where human staple foods directly processed by genetically modified crops are almost impossible to see on the market. Authoritative agencies (such as WHO and EFSA) have all confirmed that the currently approved Bt genetically modified products are equivalent to conventional foods in terms of safety. The benefits that consumers actually enjoy, such as food prices drop, quality improvement, etc., are often not directly related to Bt technology. Many processed foods containing corn or soy ingredients on the US market are derived from genetically modified crops, but consumers do not have obvious adverse experiences or risks. Despite this, it is still necessary to strengthen popular science publicity and improve the public's understanding of Bt technology. In China, the public's attitude towards genetically modified food has improved in recent years, but some consumers still have a wait-and-see or even boycott it, which requires more communication efforts from the scientific community and the media. At the marketing level, Bt crop products also face problems of genetically modified labels and trade barriers in international trade. Some importing countries (especially the EU, China, etc.) implement strict labeling systems for genetically modified products, which may affect the export of Bt agricultural products. 8.3 International regulatory policies and trade barriers The industrialization process of Bt genetically modified crops is closely related to the regulatory policies of various countries. Different countries have obvious differences in the policy orientation of genetically modified
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