Insects are the pre-eminent form of metazoan life on land, with as many as 1018 individuals alive at any one instant and over three-quarters of a million species described. Although it is estimated that there are as many as 14,000 species that are blood feeders, only three to 400 species regularly attract our attention. Some of these are of immense importance to us, as vector-borne diseases still form a huge burden on both the human population and our domesticated animals.

Genetically modified crops or organisms (GMOs) are produced by the now well-known branch of molecular biology, the recombinant DNA technology or genetic engineering. The share of GM crops in world agriculture is increasing steadily. From 1996 to 2009, the cultivation of GM crops has seen an 80-fold increase. In India, 65% of the agricultural land is still dependent on monsoon. There is need for more investment in biotechnology-driven solutions to increase yields

Cry1Ac toxin concentration was assessed in leaves of Bt transgenic cotton hybrid grown on shallow (90 cm) black soils of Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. Cry toxin concentration increased up to 80 days after sowing followed by a steep decline. In general, toxin concentration was greater on the deep black soils than the shallow soil. This was because of greater water-holding capacity of the deep soils. Cry toxin concentration was closely related to the soil water content. Beyond (excess moisture) and below (moisture deficit) field capacity, toxin concentration declined.

Commercial and non-commercial plants face a variety of environmental stressors that often cannot be controlled. In this study, transgenic hybrid poplar (Populus × euramericana ‘Guariento’) harboring five effector genes (vgb, SacB, JERF36, BtCry3A and OC-I) were subjected to drought, salinity, waterlogging and insect stressors in greenhouse or laboratory conditions. Field trials were also conducted to investigate long-term effects of transgenic trees on insects and salt tolerance in the transformants.