Regulating insect resistance management: the case of non-Bt corn refuges in the US.
In this paper, we analyze the insect resistance management (IRM) plan put in place by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to delay the evolution of resistance to Bt corn in natural populations of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner. This IRM plan is the most impressive mandatory IRM system ever developed. It forms a coherent whole and includes mandatory refuges, actions to increase growers' compliance and a program for monitoring the evolution of resistance. However, our analysis suggests that two components of this IRM plan are not entirely satisfactory: growers' compliance and monitoring of the evolution of resistance. Moreover, the implementation of these two components of IRM has been required of the registrants, whose incentives for IRM are probably lower than the social optimum. Our analysis suggests that alternatives to the IRM plan currently in place could improve these two components.
Bourguet
Denis
D
Centre de Biologie et de Gestion des Populations, UMR INRA/IRD/CIRAD/ENSA.M, Campus International de Baillarguet, CS 30 016, 34 988 Montferrier/Lez, France. bourguet@ensam.inra.fr
Desquilbet
Marion
M
Lemarié
Stéphane
S
D000818:Animals; D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D030841:Food, Genetically Modified / Q000592:standards*; D033161:Government Regulation; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D007300:Insect Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D007305:Insecticide Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009036:Moths / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D014481:United States; D014484:United States Environmental Protection Agency; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004731:Endotoxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; C030956:insecticidal crystal protein, Bacillus Thuringiensis