Does Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT) really work?

There is a lot of hype around Bacillus Thuringiensis, more commonly referred to as BT, but what is it and does it actually work? In this video I talk through topics such as "What is Bacillus Thuringiensis?", "How does Bacillus Thuringiensis work?" and then I end off with a show and tell using a control group of plants to show if BT as a insecticide actually works or not.

What is Bacillus Thuringiensis?

BT is a naturally occurring soil bacteria found in soils throughout the world and is known as a bioinsecticide. It reproduces through spores that grow into new bacteria and there are many different types of BT. Each strain targets different insect groups. E.g. caterpillars, mosquitos, beetles and can offer very specific insect group targeting.

How does BT work?

BT has to be consumed in order for it to work. It is NOT a contact-based insecticide, which is why it is such an effective control measure. This is also the reason why bees and other beneficial insects are not impacted by the use of BT in the home garden. When caterpillars and larvae eat the leaves, which introduces BT into their gut BT then activates toxins that break down the gut wall. It takes anything from 1-5 days for the BT to take effect, after which the caterpillar will stop eating altogether. BT works by damaging the gut of the target insect through proteins that produce toxins.

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To get more detailed information on BT then read here - http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/btgen...

Video timeline:

00:00 - Intro to BT
01:09 - What is Bacillus Thuringiensis?
05:16 - How does Bacillus Thuringiensis, or BT, work?
10:30 - When will Bacillus Thuringiensis not work?
11:21 - BT toxicity
12:32 - Does Bacillus Thuringiensis work?
16:00 - Summary of Bacillus Thuringiensis

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