Cry1Ac_Insect_Resistant_Crops_Presentation.pptx

Production of insect resistant crop by introduction of Cry1AC gene.

1. Engineering Insect-Resistant Crops through Cry1Ac Gene Expression Presented by: [Your Name] Department of Biotechnology Institution: [Your Institute Name]

2. Introduction Insect pests like Helicoverpa and corn borers cause major yield losses. Bt gene from Bacillus thuringiensis provides natural insecticidal properties. Transgenic expression of Cry1Ac confers resistance to chewing insect pests.

3. Cry1Ac Gene and Its Mode of Action Cry1Ac protein forms pores in insect midgut membrane, causing cell lysis and death. Safe for humans and non-target organisms. Widely used in cotton, maize, and brinjal.

4. Cry1Ac Gene Construct Cry1Ac gene placed under a constitutive promoter (e.g., FMVde). Selectable marker: nptII for antibiotic resistance. Transformation achieved via Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

5. Field Performance: Bt vs Non-Bt Cotton Bt cotton shows significantly reduced insect damage and larval counts. Non-Bt plants suffered 43–50% damage vs Bt plants 8–12%. Demonstrates strong field efficacy of Cry1Ac expression.

6. Insect Mortality Results Feeding bioassays: near 100% mortality on Cry1Ac cotton. Cry1Ac brinjal shows ~85% larval mortality vs ~5% in non-Bt (Pal et al., 2009). Confirms functional expression and pest lethality.

7. Benefits of Cry1Ac Crops Reduced chemical pesticide use. Environmentally safe and selective pest control. Increased crop yield and farmer income.

8. Challenges and Limitations Potential evolution of pest resistance. Need for refugia strategy. Public perception and biosafety regulations.

9. Conclusion Cry1Ac gene revolutionized insect resistance in transgenic crops. Provides a sustainable, eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. Forms the basis for modern multi-gene Bt technologies.

10. References Koziel et al., 1993. Bio/Technology. Singh et al., 2016. Plant Biotech J. Marques et al., 2023. Frontiers in Bioeng & Biotech. Pal et al., 2009. Euphytica.