Bollworm developing resistance....

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Umendra Dutt

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Feb 21, 2008, 9:51:08 AM2/21/08
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Agri-Biz & Commodities - Cotton
Bollworm may be developing resistance to Bt cotton

Research reports from US say pests are in the process of turning immune

G. Chandrashekhar

Mumbai, Feb. 20 Even as life science companies in seed business and vocal lobbyists for pro-genetically modified (GM) crops combine to make propagandist noises about the goodness of the technology and rapid spread of area under GM crops worldwide comes the news that pests are slowly developing resistance to transgenic crops.

Currently, corn (maize), soyabean and cotton are the major field crops in which transgenic varieties have been commercialised. Cotton was the first major field GM crop to go commercial in 1996 in the US. Incidentally, the US is the world's largest producer of soyabean and corn.

Gene from a bacterium - Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) - is inserted in the cottonseed as a result of which the plant repels bollworm attack by secreting a protein-based toxin that kills the insect and saves the plant.

Survey findings

The latest is that reports, based on extensive research, emanating from the US suggest that pests may be in the process of evolving resistance to modified crops. A study of the Bt Cotton crop by researchers in the US has revealed that the bollworm – which is widely known to attack cotton boll and inflict losses – were slowly developing immunity.

Reports in the western press suggest the University of Arizona found resistant form of bollworm caterpillar in a dozen fields in the southern states of Mississippi and Arkansas between 2003 and 2006. Until last year, the US was the world's second largest cotton producer. It continues to be a major exporter with over 70 per cent of output destined for overseas markets.

Shrinking acreage

However, area under cotton has begun to shrink following competition for acreage from crops such as corn, soyabean and wheat.

Coming about 7-8 years after commercialisation of Bt. Cotton, the survey findings of evolving resistance are sure to not only cause concern, but also set alarm bells ringing in major cotton growing countries that have embraced the technology.

In India, GM-cotton was commercialised in 2002. Since then, cotton output has surged by leaps and bounds year after year; and in 2007 it stood at over 300 lakh bales. Over 50 per cent of the country's acreage under cotton (90 lakh hectares) is accounted for GM seeds.

The technology has delivered, so far. It is possible some kind of fatigue could be setting in? If the bollworm pest is seen developing resistance in the US, a country where cultivation is highly organised, land is well demarcated and farming systems are automated/ mechanised, there is no reason to believe it may not happen in India.

Indeed, it would be almost impossible to isolate area and control the pest in our country given the nature of agriculture - fragmented lands and millions of growers.

It is necessary for the Government, the scientists and the industry to work together to initiate studies to ascertain the status of pest resistance in our country. When we embrace technologies from abroad, we can ill-afford to overlook related developments there.

India is today the world's second largest producer of cotton and a very large exporter. It has emerged as a force to reckon with in the global cotton sector.

Indian cotton growers are small. Crops lost to pests that have developed resistance can have devastating effect on our rural economy. The way forward is to closely monitor the situation and initiate remedial measures.

More Stories on : Cotton



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Kavitha Kuruganti
Centre for Sustainable Agriculture
12-13-445, Street # 1, Tarnaka
Secunderabad 500 017
www.csa-india.org; www.indiagminfo.org

Phone: +91-9393001550





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Umendra Dutt
Executive Director
KHETI VIRASAT MISSION
Bishnandi Bazar
JAITU-151202
District-Faridkot,Punjab
Phones:01635-503415
09872682161
umendradutt.blogspot.com

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