Two of the World's Most Destructive Crop Pests Have Hybridized to Form a "Mega-Pest"


Image: CSIRO

Scientists at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have reported a disturbing finding: two of the world's major crop pests have combined or hybridized into a new "mega-pest".

The first species is the cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera), which is widespread in Africa, Asia and Europe and causes damage to over 100 kinds of crops. The second is the corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), which is commonly found in the Americas. The new hybrid has potentially unlimited geographical boundaries.


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