Microscopic nematode worms can be a potent organic insecticide, killing crop-raiding bugs without without environmental side effects of chemicals. But when the worms are mass-bred for agriculture, they tend to "wimp out," and are not as deadly as their cousins that grow in the wild. A new study identified the genetic changes in lab-raised worms that make them less deadly to insects. These insights also provide a map for weakening worms that target humans.
Source: ScienceDaily