MON 810 facts for kids
The MON 810 corn is a special type of genetically modified maize. This means its DNA has been changed in a lab. It's also known as YieldGard, made by the company Monsanto. This plant is a genetically modified organism (GMO). It was created to help farmers grow more corn by protecting it from insects.
MON 810 corn has an extra gene inside its DNA. This gene helps the plant make a special protein. This protein is harmful to certain insects that try to eat the corn. The gene comes from a type of bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis. This bacteria makes a protein known as Bt protein. This Bt protein is poisonous to insects like butterflies and moths, including the European corn borer.
Farmers around the world grow these genetically modified plants with Bt protein. The MON 810 corn is made by adding a small piece of DNA, called a plasmid, into regular corn cells. This plasmid contains the special gene that makes the Bt protein. When insects eat the corn, the Bt protein creates tiny holes in their gut cells. This causes the cells to die and harms the insects. The protein only affects specific insects because it needs special "locks" (receptors) on their cells to work. This is why it's mostly harmful to butterflies and moths.
Where MON 810 Corn is Used
MON 810 corn was approved for use in the European Union in 1998. Since then, some countries have grown it, including Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Romania.
However, some countries have stopped its cultivation. Austria, Hungary, Greece, France, Luxembourg, and Germany have banned growing it. They did this because of worries about possible environmental damage. Even though they banned growing it, they still allowed imports of MON 810 corn.
In Italy, growing MON 810 corn has been banned since July 12, 2013. This happened after a scientific report raised concerns about the insect-killing GM maize. Poland also banned growing GMO crops on January 28, 2013.
MON 810 corn is approved for use in many other countries around the world. These include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa, Switzerland, South Korea, Taiwan, the United States, and Uruguay.
See also
In Spanish: MON 810 para niños
