Bt cotton
Bt cotton is a genetically modified pest-resistant plant cotton variety that
produces pesticides to fight against bollworms. To reduce the use of pesticides
and other harmful chemicals, companies have developed genetically modified
(GMO) cotton plants that are resistant to pest infestation. GMOs include cotton
crops inoculated with the Bt gene. Bt cotton crop does not require the
application of pesticides. Insects that eat Bt cotton stop eating after a few
hours and die leaving the cotton plants intact.
Strains
of the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis produce more than 200 Bt toxins, each
harmful to a variety of insects. Most notably, Bt toxins are insecticides for
insects and butterflies, beetles, cotton bollworms, and fly larvae but are
harmful to other life. Gene coding for Bt toxin has been inserted into cotton
as a transgene, causing it to produce this natural pesticide in its tissues. In
many regions, the major pests of commercial cotton are the Lepidopteran larvae,
which are killed by Bt proteins in the genetically modified cotton they eat.
This eliminates the need to use large-scale broad-spectrum pesticides to kill
Lepidopteran insects. It relieves natural insect predators in farm ecology and
further contributes to non-pesticide pest management.
Bt cotton history
Bt
cotton was first approved for a field trial in the United States in 1993 and
was first approved for commercial use in the United States in 1995. Bt cotton
was approved by the Chinese government in 1997. In 2002, BT cotton launched a
joint venture between Monsanto and Mahyco. In 2011, India cultivated the
largest GM cotton in 10.6 million hectares. The U.S. GM cotton crop was 4.0
million hectares, the second largest in the world, followed by China at 3.9
million hectares and Pakistan at 2.6 million hectares. By 2014, 96% of the
cotton produced in the United States was genetically modified and 95% of the
cotton produced in India was GM. As of 2014, India is the largest producer of
cotton and GM cotton.
Bt cotton environmental impact
An
important feature of BT technology is that it reduces the use of pesticides in
cotton. There are several methods for measuring the environmental impact of
pesticide use. They consider the effects of surface water on groundwater,
aquatic organisms, birds, mammals, beneficial insects, and pesticides on
humans.
Under
the Environmental Protection Act (1986), the Ministry of Environment and
Forests has issued regulations on the production, use, import, export, and
storage of hazardous microorganisms / genetically engineered organisms or
cells. To be a transgenic crop, Bt cotton requires environmental clearance
under Rule 7-10 of the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1989, a dangerous
microorganism / genetically engineered organism or cell production, use,
import, export, and preservation rule 1989. Bio-safety and environmental issues
related to these GM crops include molecular properties of induced genes,
biochemical properties of expressed proteins, estimation of expressed protein
levels in cotton, proteins expressed in cotton products, and protection of
expressed proteins. Agricultural, structural, and food and food safety
assessment of Bt cotton as compared to the non-target organism, environmental
fate of Bt protein, and non-Bt cotton seeds.
Transgenic
pest control technology was developed with the help of the Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt) gene to reduce farmers' reliance on chemical pesticides.
Crop plants carrying the Bt gene produce biological substances that are toxic
to Lepidoptera order insects. Bt cotton is currently one of the most widely
used transgenic grain technologies worldwide. Although conventional cotton is
often sprayed in large quantities for pest control, the ratio of pesticide-active ingredients (a.i.) actually reaching the target insects is relatively
low. Accordingly, negative environmental externals are common. At the same
time, pest control remains partial, especially in developing countries.
Adoption of BT technology can make insect control more effective and reduce the
need to spray toxic chemical pesticides.
Bt cotton advantages
The
important advantages of Bt cotton are brief:
i.
It increases the yield of cotton due to effective control of three types of
bollworms such as viz. American, spotted, and pink bollworm.
ii.
Lepidoptera (bollworm) insects are sensitive to a crystalline endotoxic protein
produced by the Bt gene that protects cotton from bollworms.
iii.
Decreased use of pesticides in Bt cotton cultivation where bollworms are the
major pests.
iv.
Potential reduction in cultivation cost (depending on seed cost vs. pesticide
cost).
v.
Reducing predators helps control bollworms by feeding bollworm larvae and eggs.
vi.
There are no health risks due to the rare use of pesticides (especially those
who are spraying pesticides).
Bt cotton disadvantages
The
important disadvantages of Bt cotton are brief:
i.
We do not know the consequences of inserting the Bt gene in the cotton gin
pool.
ii.
Since it affects all larval insects, beneficial caterpillars in the area are
also likely to die.
iii.
Famous cotton-based companies like Monsanto may keep seeds of special crops out
of the reach of developing countries, which may need to protect already
contaminated groundwater, the environment, etc.
iv.
Cultivating this crop environmentally is a busy job, as it requires 8-10 times
pesticides per season (to get a suitable yield). This requires a tractor and
later its fuel as well as the farmer's time and money.
v.
It poisons groundwater and is dangerous to the health of humans and other
organisms.
Conclusion
Increasing
Bt cotton cultivation compared to conventional alternatives would seem to have
yield, cost, and gross margin benefits for smallholders, especially for the
smallest growers which have a significant impact on livelihoods. There are also
environmental benefits associated with using fewer pesticides. While these
point to beneficial effects on sustainability, there is widespread concern
about the vulnerability of resource-poor farmers in an area with limited
options for livelihood diversification inside and outside agriculture. Although
Bt provides cotton benefits, it does not address some of the structural
constraints that African farmers face, and sustainability is more than just a
gain or a reduction in environmental damage.
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