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From: dant@tekla.TEK.COM (Dan Tilque;1893;92-789;LP=A;60HC)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.misc
Subject: Re: pesticides
Message-ID: <2232@zeus.TEK.COM>
Date: Tue, 18-Aug-87 14:39:56 EDT
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Posted: Tue Aug 18 14:39:56 1987
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[I'm dropping the cross-post to the consumers newsgroup]

> = Steve Walton 
>> = Dan Tilque
>> 1.  Because humans have selected and bred for more insect resistant plants, 
>> the amount of natural insecticides in plants has actually increased over
>> the years.
>
>Reference?  It seems that we've actually succeeded in making plants more
>attractive to pests (bigger and easier to harvest fruit, for example),
>rather than less.

True, the fruit is more attractive to pests which is why they also breed
plants for resistance to insects.  The resistance is often in the form
of increased amounts of natural insecticides.  As far as references, there
was a brief splash in the news not too long ago (last year, I think) about
some research on this.  McNeil/Lehrer even interviewed one of the 
researchers.  I'm sorry I can't be more specific.

---
Dan Tilque
dant@tekla.tek.com  or dant@tekla.UUCP