AMD roadmap shows Steamroller-based Opterons on track for 2013

AMD gave us a tease of its next-generation Steamroller architecture in 2012, but things weren't looking good for pro users when the initial timeline had current-generation Piledriver technology as the focus for Opterons in 2013. Thanks to a newer investor presentation, there's a glimmer of hope for the workstation and server users among us. Its roadmap shows Steamroller-equipped Opteron variants arriving this year, with an Excavator follow-up coming at an undetermined point in the future. There's nothing about specific timelines and models, as you might imagine -- AMD isn't going to spoil its plans quite so readily -- but the presentation reminds us that Steamroller will put an emphasis on the parallelism that's oh so vital to high-end computing. We're mostly glad to hear that IT backrooms will have something genuinely new to play with while we're off enjoying its Kaveri counterpart at home.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/01/amd-roadmap-shows-steamroller-based-opterons-on-track-for-2013/

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Camry battles spruced-up rivals in midsize market

A Hyundai Sonata is seen outside of a Hyundai car dealership on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012., in Des Planines, Ill. For nearly two decades, the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord have ruled the mid-sized car market. But now the dominance is starting to slip. as cars like the Hyundai Sonata, Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima and Kia Optima have cut into sales of the Camry and Accord by offering combinations of sleek designs, luxury-car features and better gas mileage. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

A Hyundai Sonata is seen outside of a Hyundai car dealership on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012., in Des Planines, Ill. For nearly two decades, the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord have ruled the mid-sized car market. But now the dominance is starting to slip. as cars like the Hyundai Sonata, Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima and Kia Optima have cut into sales of the Camry and Accord by offering combinations of sleek designs, luxury-car features and better gas mileage. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

DETROIT (AP) ? For nearly two decades, the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord have ruled the mid-sized car market.

Nobody accused them of being stylish or fast. But the cars rarely broke down, and they held their value better than competitors. For drivers who wanted a family car, Camry and Accord got the job done and were good enough to become two of the best-selling cars of all time.

But now the dominance is starting to slip. Cars like the Hyundai Sonata, Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima and Kia Optima have cut into sales of the Camry and Accord by offering combinations of sleek designs, luxury-car features and better gas mileage.

The competition has shaken up the biggest segment of the U.S. auto market. The new vehicles have made midsize cars appealing to a broader audience, from young families to downsizing baby boomers to people who want the look and feel of luxury but don't want the cost. Midsize cars accounted for almost 25 percent of the total industry in February, up from 22 percent at the end of 2007. Automakers report March sales on Tuesday.

Differences in quality and reliability in midsize cars have all but been erased, so buyers now look at styling and performance, industry analysts say. That puts added pressure on Toyota and Honda to stay ahead, but also on the other automakers, because brand loyalty isn't what it used to be. Every time a new, sleeker car comes out, many buyers flock to it. As a result, automakers are redesigning midsize cars in about half the usual time.

"Your latest and greatest are the ones that are selling the most," said Glenn Mears, owner of Chrysler, Ford, Honda and Nissan dealerships in the Dover, Ohio, area south of Cleveland.

Sales figures show how tough the competition has gotten for Camry and Accord, still the two top-selling cars in the U.S.

The Camry's annual sales have fallen by more than 68,000 since 2007, while Accord sales have dropped by more than 60,000. Five years ago, Camry and Accord combined sold 865,339 models, accounting for almost a quarter of the midsize segment. But last year they slipped to just over 20 percent on sales of 736,758, according to Autodata Corp.

The Camry, last redesigned in 2011, has all the newest bells and whistles inside, such as a touch-screen and voice command system, but isn't as sleek looking on the outside as its rivals. Still, Toyota doesn't plan any major styling changes to the Camry because there's no sense messing with the success of a car with sales over 400,000 per year, said Jim Lentz, Toyota's North American chief executive.

Lentz said that because other automakers improved their cars, Camry sales won't grow much in the near term, even though the market for midsize cars is getting bigger.

"So the pie is getting larger. Because of the increase in competition, our share of that pie is getting smaller," he said.

Honda came out with a well-received redesign of the Accord last year, and its gaining ground on the midsize leader. While Camry outsold Accord by 70,000 last year, the Honda's percentage gain was bigger, 40 percent to 31 percent for the Toyota. And sales of the Camry fell in February, the second decline in three months. Accord sales rose 35 percent in February and trailed Camry by just 3,271.

Ford's Fusion has moved into third place. The brand-new car hit showrooms in September, with a European design that looks like an Aston-Martin.

That style led Susie Gates of suburban Dallas to lease a Fusion in February because it stood out from the Sonata and Camry, she said.

"It just seems like everyone and their mom has one," she said of the Camry. "There was nothing exciting about it."

Gates, 37, who works for a service that helps people having trouble paying their mortgages, is at an age where people typically would buy a Camry or Accord. She says her pearl-white 2013 Fusion turns heads.

"It's just absolutely gorgeous," she said.

That wasn't a term associated with midsize cars until Hyundai remade the Sonata in April of 2010. The hard angles were gone, and car reviewers said it had a sculpted exterior that gave the appearance of a car in motion even when sitting in park. Sales rose 15 percent by the end of 2011.

But Sonata's numbers haven't been quite as pretty lately. Sales were off 8 percent in February compared the same month a year earlier, and have declined in five of the past seven months. The reason: Designs in the midsize market are changing so fast that analysts say the Sonata now seems dated. And Altima sales fell 16 percent last month, even though a brand-new design came out last summer.

"The competition is so fierce," said Jesse Toprak, senior analyst for automotive pricing site TrueCar.com. "It forces automakers into much more frequent updates."

Automakers used to redesign cars every six or seven years and update them every three or four. But in the midsize segment, that's changing to full redesigns every three or four years with updates every other year, Toprak said.

General Motors, for instance, is freshening the slow-selling Chevrolet Malibu for 2014, even though it was new last year. The update changes the look in the front and back to make it more modern, plus it will address criticism of a cramped back seat. Malibu sales rose just 3 percent in 2012. GM lowered the base price by $300 to $770 depending on model and raised discounts on the car in February.

Since slicker styling is now commonplace, price is a bigger consideration for buyers, Toprak said. And that means better deals for consumers, particularly on older models.

Carmakers are either dropping the base price or ramping up incentives.

Average sales prices fell from January to February on seven of the segment's 10 top-selling vehicles, according to the Edmunds.com auto website. Discounts also rose on seven of the 10 top sellers. The average price dropped by $131 to $25,729.

Camry's price went up slightly between January and February, but in the past year, it has fallen $136 to $24,211. The Camry's average price is about $1,000 less than the Accord and Altima and $2,000 less than Fusion. In late February, Toyota began offering no-interest financing on the 2013 Camry for 60 months.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-04-01-Midsize%20Car%20Dustup/id-52c879f9ed5d42bb980d004f5bba8ddf

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Family Ties a Mixed Blessing for Red-State Democrats

She is the daughter of a civil-rights-championing former mayor of New Orleans and the sister of the city?s popular current executive. He is the son of a former senator and governor known for advocating for the rights of taxpayers and the elderly.

Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Mark Pryor of Arkansas are two of the most vulnerable Democrats up for reelection in 2014, but the deep roots of their families in their home states could serve as bulwarks in a Republican-friendly midterm.

Carpetbaggers, beware.

?If anyone is suited to swim against the tide, it?s these multigenerational politicians in states where knowing people matters,? said Democratic strategist Craig Varoga, who ran an outside group that helped reelect Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in 2010.

Landrieu and Pryor stand out as Democrats campaigning in states that President Obama lost by landslides?17 and 24 points, respectively?in the 2012 presidential election. Among the other Senate Democrats with family connections that could help them get through tough reelection campaigns: Mark Begich of Alaska, son of Rep. Nick Begich, who died in a mysterious plane crash; Mark Udall of Colorado, son of the late Rep. Morris "Mo" Udall and cousin of Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M.; and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, wife of longtime Democratic operative and former U.S. Attorney William Shaheen.

Traditionally, family ties are one of politics' greatest blessings, bestowing lucky offspring with a ready-made name brand, grassroots support, and a fundraising network. Former Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind.?son of another popular Indiana Democrat, former Sen. Birch Bayh?once coined the phrase ?legacy caucus? to refer to the senators representing seats once held by their fathers, including Pryor; Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; and former Sens. Chris Dodd, D-Conn.; Bob Bennett, R-Utah; and Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I.

But the antiestablishment tea-party movement and the public?s disdain for Washington can elevate fresh faces and outsider status over the prospect of family dynasties.

Consider the?likely campaign by the 37-year-old son?of Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., who announced his retirement plans last week. Brendan Johnson, appointed by President Obama to serve as the state?s U.S. attorney, has never held elective office before. Eyeing a pickup opportunity in a state Obama lost by 18 points, Republicans are crying nepotism.

?In South Dakota, we say it?s OK to pass on your farm to your heirs but it doesn?t apply to Senate seats,? said South Dakota Republican Party Chairman Craig Lawrence. ?Of course we are going to make this an issue.?

Speaking of keeping things in the family, the ?Draft Brendan Johnson for U.S. Senate Campaign? announced a new endorsement last Thursday: Democratic strategist Nathan Daschle?the son of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. South Dakota Democratic Chairman Ben Nesselhuf rejected the possibility of Republicans turning Brendan?s last name into a liability.

?They will raise the charges of nepotism on Brendan no matter what he chooses to do, because he?s a serious threat,? he said. ?Anyone who meets him for three minutes will see that charge lose steam because he?s incredibly well qualified. He?s one of the best campaigners I?ve ever seen, partly because he grew up on the campaign trail.?

The same could be said of Pryor, whose father, David, is an institution in Arkansas after more than three decades in public office. The elder Pryor was by his son?s side?along with former President Clinton and Gov. Mike Beebe?when he formally launched his reelection campaign in mid-March. The early splash was warranted. His former Democratic colleague, Sen. Blanche Lincoln, lost her bid for a third term in 2010, and last year Republicans won all four of the state?s House seats and took control of the Legislature for the first time since Reconstruction.

The conservative Club for Growth has already made Pryor a target,?airing a television ad?that reminds voters he backed Obama?s health care plan. ?He?s supposed to be our senator, but Mark Pryor is really Barack Obama?s best ally in Arkansas,? says the spot.

Pryor has tried to demonstrate his independence from the administration in recent weeks by declining to back same-sex marriage and sweeping gun-control legislation. His hope is that Arkansas voters will remember his family?s familiar surname?not the unpopular president?s?when they go to the polls in 2014.

?I am my father?s son. Everybody knows that,? Pryor said. ?Arkansans know public service is what motivates me, and that?s part of my dad?s legacy.?

He added: ?I feel like I just need to be myself and run my race and be the kind of senator I?ve always been. You?re not going to see me change. I?m going to be the same old Mark Pryor.?

Like Pryor, who has held public office for 23 years, Landrieu is becoming a brand name in her own right, separate from her family?s coattails. In 1996, after 10 years in state office, she became the first woman from Louisiana elected to a full term in the Senate.

The path to public service was paved by her father, Maurice "Moon" Landrieu, who served in Congress in the 1960s and as mayor of New Orleans in the 1970s. He was best known as a trailblazer for civil rights, earning the loyalty of the city?s large African-American community.?He was one of the few white state lawmakers who voted against the "hate bills" that aimed to stop school desegregation.?

?I?m very proud to have a family name that represents integrity and good government and inclusiveness,? Landrieu said. ?I believe it?s been an asset in every one of my races.?

Landrieu won the black vote overwhelmingly in her last campaign in 2008. But in the 2014 midterm election, black voters are expected to make up a smaller share of the electorate, closer to 25 percent, than the 29 percent they represented during Obama?s historic 2008 election. Turnout will be pivotal in New Orleans, where her brother, Mitch, a former lieutenant governor of the state, was elected mayor in 2010. His popularity?a recent poll by the automated Democratic firm Public Policy?Polling?found that 49 percent of the state has a favorable view of him, to only 26 percent with an unfavorable view?is a plus for the senator.

?Because the black turnout will not be as strong, she has to get more of that middle-of-the-road white vote, and that?s getting harder and harder in the South,? said John Maginnis, who publishes?LaPolitics Weekly, an e-mail newsletter. ?Republicans will try to nationalize the election, but if she can keep it localized, she?s pretty hard to beat. It could be frustrating for Republicans.?

Potential GOP challengers include Reps. John Fleming and Bill Cassidy. In 2011, Republicans increased their majorities in both chambers of the state Legislature and captured all statewide constitutional offices. "Louisiana has moved much more to the right since Landrieu's last election," said Republican political consultant Jason Hebert, "and people seem a lot more interested in a candidate's voting record and issue positions than their family name or political cache.?

The family business once held no allure for Alaska?s Begich, who was only 10 years old when his father was never heard from again after a plane crash. Also on board was House Majority Leader Hale Boggs of Louisiana. The bodies of the four passengers and the plane?s wreckage were never found.

?I didn?t want to run in that business that took my father away from me,? said Begich, who always saw himself as a businessman. He said he ran for city council at age 26 ?as a fluke? because his representative had failed to pave the road in front of his house. He won, and the road never got paved on his watch ?because it would have been a conflict,? he said.

Forty years after his father?s death, Begich still meets constituents who will bring him a memento, such as a campaign brochure or a copy of one of his speeches. In such a sparsely populated and hard-to-navigate rural state, voters remember when a lawmaker comes to their neck of the words. Begich's father was also known for his leadership in passing legislation that allocated 40 million acres to Alaskan natives, who currently make up about 17 percent of the state?s population.

?People in Alaska still remember my father, no question about it,? said Begich, who defeated 40-year incumbent Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, in 2008. ?When my mother campaigned for me, she received a hero?s welcome.?

For a Democratic senator running in a state where Obama lost by 14 percentage points, blood has to run thick.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/family-ties-mixed-blessing-red-state-democrats-134914971--politics.html

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Egypt issues arrest warrant for TV satirist

CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's state prosecutors issued an arrest warrant Saturday for a popular television satirist for allegedly insulting Islam and the country's president, in the latest legal action to take aim at a critic of the nation's Islamist leader.

The warrant against Bassem Youssef is also the latest in a series of legal actions against the comedian, who has come to be known as Egypt's Jon Stewart. Youssef's widely-watched weekly show, "ElBernameg" or The Program, has become a platform for lampooning the government, opposition, media and clerics.

The fast-paced show has attracted a wide viewership, but has also earned itself its fair share of detractors. Youssef has been a frequent target of lawsuits, most of them brought by Islamist lawyers who have accused him of "corrupting morals" or violating "religious principles."

The comedian has faced several court cases in the past, also accusing him of insulting President Mohammed Morsi. One of Youssef's attorneys, Gamal Eid, said this is the first time an arrest warrant has been issued for the comedian.

In a post on his official Twitter account, Youssef said he will hand himself in to the prosecutor's office Sunday. He then added, with his typical sarcasm: "Unless they kindly send a police van today and save me the transportation hassle."

Eid said the warrant fits into a widening campaign against government critics, media personalities, and activists.

"The prosecution has become a tool to go after the regime's opposition and intimidate it," Eid said.

A call to a top aide to the country's chief prosecutor, Hassan Yassin, for comment went unanswered.

Opposition figures have expressed concerns about freedom of expression and assembly for what they call a crackdown on dissent at a time of deep polarization in Egypt's politics.

The political standoff pits Morsi, a Brotherhood veteran, and his Islamist allies in one camp against a mostly secular and liberal opposition backed by moderate Muslims, minority Christians and a large segment of women in the other.

The opposition charges that Morsi and the Brotherhood have failed to tackle any of the nation's most pressing problems and are trying to monopolize power, and breaking promises of inclusiveness. Morsi blames the country's woes on nearly three decades of corruption under his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak, and accuses the opposition of stoking unrest for political gain.

On Monday, Egypt's top state prosecutor, Talaat Abdullah, issued arrest warrants for five of Egypt's most prominent democracy advocates and activists over allegations that they instigated violence last week near the Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo.

It was one of the worst bouts of violence in months, where nearly 200 people were injured in clashes between anti-government protesters and supporters of the Brotherhood, from which Morsi hails.

Morsi harshly criticized his opponents, calling them hired thugs out to derail Egypt's democracy. The Brotherhood also blamed privately-owned media for fanning the violence.

The criticism was followed by a two-day protest by dozens of Islamists outside the studios of TV networks critical of Morsi. The Islamist protesters pelted police and prevented some talk show hosts and guests from going in and out of the complex west of Cairo.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said the escalation of anti-press "rhetoric" by Morsi and his supporters and the sit-in outside the media city were "deeply troubling."

The series of prosecutions and arrest warrants come amid a legal challenge to the general prosecutor, whose appointment by Morsi last year was declared void by a court ruling earlier this week.

On Saturday, Egypt's chief prosecutor Talaat Abdullah said he will appeal the court ruling, saying it is "in violation of the constitution and the law," Egypt's state news agency reported. The decision signals a protracted legal battle is likely to ensue, further confusing the legal scene in Egypt.

Already some, including members of the journalist union, have declared they no longer recognize the legitimacy of the prosecutor's decision.

Also on Saturday, an Egyptian rights group said police detained 13 people, including five lawyers, and accused them of assaulting police in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, Egypt's second-largest city.

The arrests inside the police station mark a rare instance in which lawyers face potential criminal charges.

The Haqanya Center for Rights said the 13 are accused of insulting security officials, attempting to free other detainees held at the police station, and illegal assembly.

The arrests prompted an angry response from lawyers at Cairo's Bar Association, who demanded an apology from the police.

Mohammed Abdel-Aziz, an attorney, said the lawyers and activists were beaten and assaulted at the station, where they had been since Friday to represent three opposition members reportedly arrested by members of a political party affiliated with Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood who handed them to the police.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-issues-arrest-warrant-tv-satirist-132500262.html

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India's top court to deliver Novartis judgment

FILE ? In this Jan. 29, 2007 file photo, Indian police officers block demonstrators protesting against Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG's case against the Indian government on drug patents in New Delhi, India. India's Supreme Court is to rule Monday, April 1, 2013, whether to deny a patent to Novartis AG for its cancer treatment in a landmark case that would allow Indian companies to continue producing cheaper versions of many lifesaving medicines. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das, File)

FILE ? In this Jan. 29, 2007 file photo, Indian police officers block demonstrators protesting against Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG's case against the Indian government on drug patents in New Delhi, India. India's Supreme Court is to rule Monday, April 1, 2013, whether to deny a patent to Novartis AG for its cancer treatment in a landmark case that would allow Indian companies to continue producing cheaper versions of many lifesaving medicines. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 21, 2012 file photo, an Indian activist from a health group holds a placard while participating in a protest against Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG outside their office in Mumbai, India. India's Supreme Court is to rule Monday, April 1, 2013, whether to deny a patent to Novartis AG for its cancer treatment in a landmark case that would allow Indian companies to continue producing cheaper versions of many lifesaving medicines. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade, File)

NEW DELHI (AP) ? India's Supreme Court is to rule Monday on a landmark patent case involving Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG that focuses on demands by major companies that their investments be protected, against Indian companies that say they should be allowed to continue producing cheaper generic versions of many lifesaving medicines.

A decision in the seven-year legal battle is keenly awaited by the two most interested parties? big pharma companies and health aid groups ? with both sides saying the outcome will set a precedent with far-reaching consequences for the future availability of the drugs.

"Across the world, people rely on India for supplies of affordable versions of expensive patented medicines," said Leena Menghaney of Doctors Without Borders. "This case will have fundamental consequences."

The case goes back to 2006 when Novartis' application for a fresh patent in India for its cancer drug imatinib mesylate was rejected by the Indian patent office.

The patent authority cited a legal provision in India's 2005 patent law aimed at preventing companies from getting fresh patents for making only minor changes to existing medicines ? a practice known as "evergreening."

The drugmaker has argued that its leukemia drug Gleevec, known in Europe and India as Glivec, was a newer, more easily absorbed version that qualified for a fresh patent.

The company filed an appeal, but India's patent appeals office turned it down in 2009 on the grounds the company was unable to show significant increase in efficacy of the drug.

Novartis then approached the Supreme Court in August 2009, which heard arguments seeking to challenge the interpretation and application of India's patent law in the case.

Gleevec, used in treating chronic myeloid leukemia and some other cancers, costs a patient about $2,600 a month. Its generic version was available in India for around $175 per month.

"The difference in price was huge. The generic version makes it affordable to so many more poor people, not just in India, but across the world," said Y.K. Sapru, of the Mumbai-based Cancer Patients Aid Association.

The case once again pits big pharmaceutical companies against health activists and aid groups with both sections arguing that the judgment would be an important milestone for the future of the pharmaceutical industry worldwide.

"The Novartis verdict is important because it will determine whether India gets to limit patents to genuine new drugs, or whether drug companies get to "evergreen" their patents until eternity, simply by re-patenting a slightly modified version of a known substance," said Ellen 't Hoen, a pharmaceutical law and policy consultant.

Western pharmaceutical companies have warned that a rejection of Novartis' application would discourage investment in research and innovation, and would hobble drugmakers' efforts to refine and improve their products.

The international drug majors have been pushing for stronger patent protection in India to regulate the country's $26 billion generic drug industry, which they say often flouts intellectual property rights.

In a statement sent to The Associated Press late last year, Novartis said patent protection was important to ensure effective protection for innovation.

"Knowing we can rely on patents in India benefits government, industry and patients because research-based organizations will know if investing in the development of better medicines for India is a viable long-term option," the company said.

Groups such as Doctors Without Borders say cheaply made Indian generics are a lifesaver for millions of patients in poor countries who cannot afford to pay Western prices to treat diseases such as cancer, malaria and HIV.

India, which has emerged as the world's pharmacy for the poor, has come under intense scrutiny from pharmaceutical giants who say India's 2005 Patent Act fails to guarantee the rights of investors who finance drug research and development.

The country's recent decision to allow a local manufacturer to produce a generic version of Bayer's patented cancer drug Nexavar, to make the drug available to the public at a reasonably affordable price, has also not gone down well with Western pharmaceutical companies.

Health and aid groups were clearly nervous before the top court rules on the Novartis case.

"Generic companies depend on the freedom to operate. If there are too many intellectual property-related challenges, then the companies very quickly withdraw from making that drug," said Menghaney.

The groups fear that a ruling in favor of Novartis would lead to a proliferation of patents ? some based on a minor tweaking of formulation and dosages ?on dozens of other generic medicines that Indian companies have been producing and supplying to needy nations at far lower costs than those charged by Western drug manufacturers.

And the fallout of the judgment will be felt across the world, says Menghaney. "It's not just about India."

"If generic competition on many crucial medicines ends, then prices for these medicines will increase, both in India and across the developing world. This would be devastating for millions who rely on India for affordable medicines."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-31-India-Patent%20Battle/id-9299251350894549ac0c2d134052ebb5

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Multi-toxin biotech crops not silver bullets, scientists warn

Mar. 29, 2013 ? The popular new strategy of planting genetically engineered crops that make two or more toxins to fend off insect pests rests on assumptions that don't always apply, UA researchers have discovered. Their study helps explain why one major pest is evolving resistance much faster than predicted and offers ideas for more sustainable pest control.

A strategy widely used to prevent pests from quickly adapting to crop-protecting toxins may fail in some cases unless better preventive actions are taken, suggests new research by University of Arizona entomologists published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Corn and cotton have been genetically modified to produce pest-killing proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt for short. Compared with typical insecticide sprays, the Bt toxins produced by genetically engineered crops are much safer for people and the environment, explained Yves Carri?re, a professor of entomology in the UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences who led the study.

Although Bt crops have helped to reduce insecticide sprays, boost crop yields and increase farmer profits, their benefits will be short-lived if pests adapt rapidly, said Bruce Tabashnik, a co-author of the study and head of the UA department of entomology. "Our goal is to understand how insects evolve resistance so we can develop and implement more sustainable, environmentally friendly pest management," he said. Tabashnik and Carri?re are both members of the UA's BIO5 Institute.

Bt crops were first grown widely in 1996, and several pests have already become resistant to plants that produce a single Bt toxin. To thwart further evolution of pest resistance to Bt crops, farmers have recently shifted to the "pyramid" strategy: each plant produces two or more toxins that kill the same pest. As reported in the study, the pyramid strategy has been adopted extensively, with two-toxin Bt cotton completely replacing one-toxin Bt cotton since 2011 in the U.S.

Most scientists agree that two-toxin plants will be more durable than one-toxin plants. The extent of the advantage of the pyramid strategy, however, rests on assumptions that are not always met, the study reports. Using lab experiments, computer simulations and analysis of published experimental data, the new results help explain why one major pest has started to become resistant faster than anticipated.

"The pyramid strategy has been touted mostly on the basis of simulation models," said Carri?re. "We tested the underlying assumptions of the models in lab experiments with a major pest of corn and cotton. The results provide empirical data that can help to improve the models and make the crops more durable."

One critical assumption of the pyramid strategy is that the crops provide redundant killing, Carri?re explained. "Redundant killing can be achieved by plants producing two toxins that act in different ways to kill the same pest," he said, "so, if an individual pest has resistance to one toxin, the other toxin will kill it."

In the real world, things are a bit more complicated, Carri?re's team found out. Thierry Br?vault, a visiting scientist from France, led the lab experiments at the UA. His home institution, the Center for Agricultural Research for Development, or CIRAD, is keenly interested in factors that could affect pest resistance to Bt crops in Africa.

"We obviously can't release resistant insects into the field, so we breed them in the lab and bring in the crop plants to do feeding experiments," Carri?re said. For their experiments, the group collected cotton bollworm -- also known as corn earworm or Helicoverpa zea -, a species of moth that is a major agricultural pest, and selected it for resistance against one of the Bt toxins, Cry1Ac.

As expected, the resistant caterpillars survived after munching on cotton plants producing only that toxin. The surprise came when Carri?re's team put them on pyramided Bt cotton containing Cry2Ab in addition to Cry1Ac.

If the assumption of redundant killing is correct, caterpillars resistant to the first toxin should survive on one-toxin plants, but not on two-toxin plants, because the second toxin should kill them, Carri?re explained.

"But on the two-toxin plants, the caterpillars selected for resistance to one toxin survived significantly better than caterpillars from a susceptible strain."

These findings show that the crucial assumption of redundant killing does not apply in this case and may also explain the reports indicating some field populations of cotton bollworm rapidly evolved resistance to both toxins.

Moreover, the team's analysis of published data from eight species of pests reveals that some degree of cross-resistance between Cry1 and Cry2 toxins occurred in 19 of 21 experiments. Contradicting the concept of redundant killing, cross-resistance means that selection with one toxin increases resistance to the other toxin.

According to the study's authors, even low levels of cross-resistance can reduce redundant killing and undermine the pyramid strategy. Carri?re explained that this is especially problematic with cotton bollworm and some other pests that are not highly susceptible to Bt toxins to begin with.

The team found violations of other assumptions required for optimal success of the pyramid strategy. In particular, inheritance of resistance to plants producing only Bt toxin Cry1Ac was dominant, which is expected to reduce the ability of refuges to delay resistance.

Refuges consist of standard plants that do not make Bt toxins and thus allow survival of susceptible pests. Under ideal conditions, inheritance of resistance is not dominant and the susceptible pests emerging from refuges greatly outnumber the resistant pests. If so, the matings between two resistant pests needed to produce resistant offspring are unlikely. But if inheritance of resistance is dominant, as seen with cotton bollworm, matings between a resistant moth and a susceptible moth can produce resistant offspring, which hastens resistance.

According to Tabashnik, overly optimistic assumptions have led the EPA to greatly reduce requirements for planting refuges to slow evolution of pest resistance to two-toxin Bt crops.

The new results should come as a wakeup call to consider larger refuges to push resistance further into the future, Carri?re pointed out. "Our simulations tell us that with 10 percent of acreage set aside for refuges, resistance evolves quite fast, but if you put 30 or 40 percent aside, you can substantially delay it."

"Our main message is to be more cautious, especially with a pest like the cotton bollworm," Carri?re said. "We need more empirical data to refine our simulation models, optimize our strategies and really know how much refuge area is required. Meanwhile, let's not assume that the pyramid strategy is a silver bullet."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Arizona. The original article was written by Daniel Stolte.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. T. Brevault, S. Heuberger, M. Zhang, C. Ellers-Kirk, X. Ni, L. Masson, X. Li, B. E. Tabashnik, Y. Carriere. Potential shortfall of pyramided transgenic cotton for insect resistance management. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1216719110

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/wYWT6YRzi0Y/130330130838.htm

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