Peas don't look very different to… beans. They both come in pods and taste very similar. Well to humans. To these weevils, the taste of the pea, is worth dying for, but you wouldn't find them anywhere near a bean Weevils damage about 30 per cent of Australia's pea industry, each year. And up to now, only pesticides have controlled them.

So CSIRO's Dr. T. J. Higgins and Dr. Maarteen Chrispels from the University of California, decided to find out what kept the weevils away from the beans. And they discovered, it was one little gene.

Normally, weevils lay their eggs on the young pea, then the larvae burrows their way in and munch away at the peas.

As the peas are digested, the starch is broken down into sugar molecules for energy. And this is where the new bean gene comes in. It stops the enzyme that helps break down the starch, from working and the insects starve to death.

But what will happen when humans eat these genetically altered peas? The bean gene will mean healthier crops for the 120 million dollar Australian pea industry.

Dr. T.J. Higgins
CSIRO Plant Industry
GPO Box 1600
Canberra ACT 2601

TJ.Higgins@csiro.au