Transgenic cotton expressing the Cry1Ac toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis has been planted widely in China since 1997, and reached 70% of the total cotton area in 2006. The results of monitoring the environmental impact of Bt cotton commercialization indicated that the target pests, cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) and pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), were effectively controlled while the mirids (Hemiptera: Miridae) evolved to be key pests in the cotton system. There were no significant changes in resistance gene frequency of field populations of cotton bollworm, but a shift toward increased tolerance was apparent in the area of intensive planting of Bt cotton, indicating that the potential risk of resistance of the target pest has become a major threat for sustainable planting of Bt cotton. Considering the factors associated with the evolution of resistance, risk management strategies are discussed in this paper.
