MON863 maize is a product of the Monsanto company. The maize line was produced by particle acceleration (biolistic) transformation and contains the following two foreign genes:
- a cry3Bb1 gene from Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kumamotoensis. The cry3Bb1 gene encodes a Coleopteran-specific insecticidal protein.
- a nptII gene. NptII is an antibiotic resistance marker gene encoding the enzyme neomycin phosphotransferase II
MON88017 maize was developed by Monsanto and is glyphosate herbicide tolerant and resistant to corn root worm (Coleoptera, Diabrotica sp.).
Currently MON88017 is approved for cultivation in the USA, Canada and Japan. In 2009 commercial cultivation took place in Canada and the USA. Approval for food and feed uses have been granted in several countries, including the EU.
The event MON810 produces a Bt toxin against lepidoptera (European stemborer and other moths/butterflies); MON88017 is a stacked event with glyphosate herbicide tolerance and a Bt toxin against coleptera (corn root worm and other beetles).
As an F1 hybrid of two deregulated GMOs it is not regulated in the US. MON88017 x MON810 has environmental, food and feed approvals in a number of countries, mainly in Asia and in Mexico.