The biggest threat to cabbage (a major food source in many countries) across the world is the Pieris rapae species of caterpillar. The eggs are laid inconspicuously on the leaves and hatch into a fuzzy, yellow-striped caterpillar, which feast upon the leaves. This creates holes that grow larger and deeper until the plant is riddled with useless, limp leaves. And when creatures, eat, well, it comes out the other end. The core of the cabbage makes a perfect bathroom for these destructive critters; thousands of fecal pellets can often be found in the center of infested cabbages. Enough of these caterpillars can effectively destroy an entire cabbage crop.

 

    Current methods of caterpillar prevention are proving to be ineffective- wasps and chickens are sometimes released to eat these pests before they wreak havoc, but they can’t be used for large-scale cabbage patches. Harsh pesticides have also been used successfully against the caterpillars, but due to their toxicity to humans, they cannot be used in large quantities. The only natural prevention of the parasites is hot and rainy seasons- conveniently the worst times to grow cabbages.

 

    It’s time for science to make an intervention. Through the use of genetic modification, the cabbage plants can produce toxins in their systems that will eliminate need for external and harmful pesticides, target only the parasitic caterpillars, and save billions of cabbages, raising growth rates and lowering prices. By splicing the Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxin gene (a naturally occurring yet highly toxic biological pesticide) from soil bacteria into cabbage plants, the desired results will become a reality. During sporulation (the development of bacteria within the organism), Bt produces crystal proteins that contain insecticidal properties. This reaction, when placed within a cabbage, would turn into poison when ingested by the Pieris rapae, effectively killing the caterpillar and saving the crop.

 

    To genetically engineer the cabbages, soil bacteria DNA would be isolated and the Bt would be extracted using Type II restriction enzymes (enzymes that cut out larger and more specific sections of genetic material) then inserted into cut cabbage plasmids through use of ligase, a bonding restriction enzyme. The Bt gene can’t be implemented into the cabbage genes by itself though- some additional genetic material is added, which includes a sequence to define how the desired gene is expressed in the plant; for example, depending on which “promoter sequence” used, it could cause the Bt protein crystals to be more powerful in certain seasons or certain parts of the plant. In this case, a promoter sequence would be selected to make the protein more prominent in the leaves of the cabbage, as they are the most affected by caterpillars. After the splicing process, the plasmids would be incubated, allowing for multiplication and growth of the Bt gene. Once the growth process is complete, the plasmids could be reintroduced to the cabbage DNA and Bt Worm Resistant Cabbage could be grown and implemented into society for the greater good of farming and society.