quote,  (  Monsanto Co. (MON)’s insect-killing corn is toppling over in northwestern Illinois fields, a sign that rootworms outside of Iowa may have developed resistance to the genetically modified crop, according to one scientist.

Michael Gray, an agricultural entomologist at the University of Illinois in Urbana, said he’s studying whether western corn rootworms collected last month in Henry and Whiteside counties are resistant to an insect-killing protein derived from Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, a natural insecticide engineered into Monsanto corn.

The insects were collected in two fields where corn had toppled after roots were eaten by rootworms, Gray said today. Planting Bt corn year after year increases the odds that the bugs will develop resistance to the insecticide, he said. While the symptoms parallel bug resistance that’s been confirmed in Iowa, analysis of the Illinois insects won’t be complete until next year, he said.

“Whatever is the cause, it is generating a lot of concern.” Gray said in a telephone interview. “I wouldn’t say at this point it’s just an isolated field here or there.”

Monsanto takes reports like Gray’s “seriously” and follows up on all accounts of unexpected damage and other performance questions, said Lee Quarles, a spokesman for the St. Louis-based company. Monsanto’s monitoring hasn’t found rootworm resistance to its Bt corn and the product is performing well on more than 99 percent of acres planted, he said.

Preliminary Findings

Monsanto dropped $3.13, or 4.5 percent, to $65.80 as of 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have fallen 5.5 percent this year.

Gray detailed his preliminary findings last week in the university’s Pest Management and Crop Development Bulletin. He said he’s since been contacted by more farmers whose Bt corn is succumbing to corn rootworms.

“It’s very, very significant damage,” Gray said. “Producers buy these Bt hybrids to protect their root systems, so it understandably makes them not very happy.”  )   end quote 

Reported September 2.  2011,  source,  for the Full Story.    (  Bloomberg Commodities. News  )

quote  S.L.  (  Think about rotating Crops, IPM scouting Programs. Disease Scouting Programs.  For Your Future.  )

study soil Health for Your Long Term Future

Making Offensive Moves. 

Not Living to be a victim playing defense all season Long.