Pest Mobility, Market Share, and the Efficacy of Refuge Requirements for Resistance Management

Bt crops, the first generation of agricultural biotechnology, have been widely adopted in the United States. There are concerns about the possible development of resistance to Bt by the targeted pests; therefore, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has mandated the use of refuges. Refuges are portions of the field in which non-Bt seed is planted. This practice allows the interbreeding of pests and slows resistance.