Genetically Modified Moths Come to New York
A diamondback moth with altered DNA is being tested to control pests on cabbages.
Earlier this spring, Anthony Shelton found himself planting a cabbage patch with members of his lab in upstate New York.
“We’re A to Z here,” says Shelton, who is an entomologist at Cornell University. If “A” is planting cabbages, then “Z” is releasing into that cabbage patch insects genetically engineered to breed themselves out of existence—the first time such insects have ever been released in the United States. If the experiment works, it could herald a new era for pest control.
The insects in this case are diamondback moths, notorious among farmers as pests that cause a year worldwide. The moth especially likes to munch on Brassica plants, which include cabbages, cauliflower, and
