Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management
Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt)
including israelensis, kurstaki, aizawai, tenebrionis strains
General Information
- Fact Sheet: bacillus thuringiensis.pdf
- Product Names:
- Chemical Class: Microbial insecticide; Soil bacterium
- Uses: Used to control Coleoptera, Lepidoptera or Diptera insects in field, greenhouse, water-grown crops, ornamentals, nursery, forest, food/nonfood storage, and standing waters.
Approved uses in Organic Agriculture, Aquaculture, Least-toxic mosquito control.
Health and Environmental Effects
- Cancer: Not documented
- Endocrine Disruption: Not documented
- Reproductive Effects: Not documented
- Neurotoxicity: Not documented
- Kidney/Liver Damage: Not documented
- Sensitizer/ Irritant: Not documented
- Birth/Developmental: Not documented
- Detected in Groundwater: Not documented
- Potential Leacher: Not documented
- Toxic to Birds: Not documented
- Toxic to Fish/Aquatic Organisms: Not documented
- Toxic to Bees: Yes: aizawai strain (7)
Residential Uses as Found in the ManageSafe™ Database
Additional Information
- Regulatory Status:
- Supporting information:
- Beyond Pesticides' GE page
- Bt Factsheet (National Pesticide Information Center)
- Bt Fact Sheet (Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides)
- PAN Pesticides Database: Bt (Pesticide Action Network)
- Studies:
- Field-evolved resistance by western corn rootworm to multiple Bacillus thuringiensis toxins in transgenic maize [Gassmann, A., et al. PNAS. 111(14):5141-5146]
