Recent Advances in Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Insecticides and Bt Crops: Challenges and Opportunities
A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Pest and Vector Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 103
Special Issue Editors
Interests: insecticides; resistance; Bacillus thuringiensis; Bt crops; molecular host–pathogen interactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: insecticides; resistance; Bacillus thuringiensis; biocontrol; IPM; multi-trophic interactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue is dedicated to the multifaceted role of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in sustainable agriculture, emphasizing its significance as a biological insecticide and a cornerstone of modern pest control strategies. Bt is renowned for its high specificity, primarily due to its insecticidal toxins, which effectively target a broad range of agricultural pests without harming beneficial organisms or natural predators. This unique attribute has made Bt the most widely produced and used microbial insecticide globally, playing a key role in organic farming and integrated pest management. Additionally, Bt crops—genetically modified plants that express Bt toxins—are the most widely grown GM crop in agriculture, underscoring their importance in conventional farming systems. This Special Issue covers the latest advancements in Bt research, including the development of new Bt strains and Bt crops, the molecular mechanisms underlying the mode of action of Bt toxins, Bt resistance management, and the ecological impact of Bt applications. By bringing together the most recent studies and expert insights, this Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current status and future directions of Bt technology in global agriculture.
Dr. Camilo Ayra-Pardo
Prof. Dr. Denis J. Wright
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- biopesticides
- insecticidal toxins
- genetically modified organisms (GMO)
- Bt strain development
- Bt crops
- agricultural biotechnology
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