Decode the genome of the world's most harmful insect

Scientists from the CSIRO Foundation and the University of Melbourne in Australia and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, are about to make a discovery that could facilitate the development of new, safe methods. and more sustainable in controlling the world's most agricultural pests - caterpillar Helicoverpa armigera.

Australian Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Hon Kim Carr, said - at the 2008 BIO International Conference in San Diego, California - that the team expected to solve the sequence. This moth gene is in about four months.

She said, 'This will allow scientists and expert groups to work together to study new ways to control this pest.'

Dr. Joanne Daly said, 'This moth is resistant to almost all kinds of chemical pesticides and threatens the viability and long-term independent development of genetically modified crops, plants based on Bt bio-pesticide. '

Larvae of Helicoverpa armigera, the most harmful insect in the world.Scientists are sequencing the genome of this caterpillar.(Photo: Michael Ryan)

'Genome sequencing will greatly support this study by improving the strength, cost efficiency, and understanding of this moth genome's work and their cousin H.zea,' Associate Professor of University of Melbourne, Philip Batterham, said.

Senator Carr remarked that this moth's discovery of the Achilles heel is an extremely important thing for agriculture all over the world.

The worm damages 225 million dollars a year in Australia - 5 billion dollars worldwide - for crops such as cotton, beans and vegetables.