Field surveys of insect populations in agroecosystems reveal low but significant levels of tolerance to Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt) toxins without mutational changes in resistance alleles.

In the Australian cotton industry, toxins produced by the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt toxins) are utilized to control lepidopteran pests: Helicoverpa armigera (cotton bollworm) and H. punctigera.

Irrigated vineyards in Australia have seen extensive adoption of drip irrigation. At the start of this project there was concern about the sustainability of drip irrigation based on previous field observations.

Insects can respond to selection pressure by mobilising new defence mechanisms.

Advances in our knowledge of the genes expressed in cotton fibres make biotechnology a viable means to improve fibre characteristics.