Making microscopic worms into a more deadly insecticide

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.

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