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Article by- V.S. Dagaonkar and L.P. Aurangabadkar |
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1. Background |
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2. Statewise area and Production of cotton in Past Five Years |
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(Please Click on the Topic) |
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Since ages, Cotton is being used as a natural fiber for cloth making throughout the world. The art of using cotton for fabric making was known to Indians since very long. This was evident from the excavations made in Harappa and Mohen-Jo-Daro. Even today, globally cotton is occupying 33.98 m. hectares area with 21.09 metric tons production. India, P.R. China and the United Sates of America are the three major cotton producing countries of the world. Although India has highest acreage under cotton cultivation (8.74 m. hectares) it ranks third in production (2.57 m. tones) and productivity wise it is still lower. India grows all the four species of cultivated cotton. Barring the states of Pujnab, Haryana and Rajasthan, cotton is predominantly cultivated under dryland conditions throughout the country. Today almost 67% area in cotton is practicing dryland cultivation and as far as Maharashtra is concerned, area under irrigated cotton is less than 5%. Of the total cotton cultivated area, nearly 35-40% area grows hybrid cotton. State wise area and production in cotton in the past five years is given in Table 1. Table 1 : Statewise area and Production of cotton in Past Five Years.
Problems in Cotton Cultivation in India : Cotton crop grown throughout the country has a varied lifespan ranging from 140-190 days. Although the crop is grown as an annual crop, its natural tendency is perennial. The crop grows well in medium to heavy soils and loves warm climate. The crop is predominantly grown in the southern hemisphere. As far as cotton cultivation in India is concerned, it faces many problems like total dependency on mansoon rains specially under dryland situation, attack of sucking pests in the initial stage of crop growth, infestation by all the three types of bollworms and leaf eating caterpillars at fruiting stage and attack of whiteflies. Of this, controlling bollworms is a major task before the farmers which incurs maximum expenditure. It was estimated that during 1999, global consumption of pesticide was worth US $8000 million of which nearly 22% were spent on cotton. In India, pesticide consumption was worth Rs. 2,800 crores in agriculture of which Rs. 1,600 Crore were spent on cotton and of these Rs. 1100 crores were spent for control of bollworms. It is known that nearly 45% of the pesticides are being used for the control of bollworms. Amongst them, Helicoverpa armigera is a polyphagous pest feeding apart from Cotton, on Pigeon Pea, Chick Pea, Tomato, Okra, Sunflower, Safflower, Sorghum, Maize and lot many weed species and its control day by day is becoming very difficult because of this and developed resistance to particular group of pyrethroids. Indiscriminate pesticide application and use of substandard brands is worstening the scenario still further. The cumulative effect of all this is increasing the financial burden of the cotton cultivators, reducing the profit margins and causing pollution hazards which no one at the moment is seriously considering. Almost every year new molecules are being tried for control of bollworms which remain effective for a very short period and the quest for new molecules then goes on. This is a never ending rat race and farmers are the victims of this situation. What is BT Cotton? : Now - a - days, we are hearing a lot about Bt cotton in newspapers, magzines and other publicity media. It therefore becomes very necessary to understand what Bt cotton is and how did it originate. Bt or Bacillus thuringiensis is an aerobic gram positive soil bacterium characterised by its ability to produce crystalline inclusions during sporulation. This bacteria was first discovered by Japanese bacteriologist Ishiwata Shigetane in 1901. Subsequently in 1915, a German Scientist Ernst Berliner isolated crystal toxin from a dead moth of silkworm in Thuringen region of Germany. Thus this bacterium was known as Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt in short. Although this bacterium is known to produce four types of toxins, it is delta-endotoxin which is of primary interest. B. thuringiensis has been registered as a microbial pest control agent in 1961 under federal Insecticide, fungicide and Rodenticide act. in the US. In India Bt formulations have been registered under Pesticides Act 1968. With the advent of Biotechnology, it is now possible to isolate genes, sequence them and know their functions. It is also possible to transfer gene from one organism to another because of universal genetic code. These techniques have been utilised in sequencing the cry genes producing the crystal proteins in Bacillus thuringiensis. Monsanto Inc, a US multinational developed a modified cry 1 Ac gene in
oder to improve its properties and for better expression in the plant system. Using this
modified gene they carried out genetic manipulation of cotton plants. The transgenic
plants so developed contain cry 1 Ac gene in its genome and such plants themselves have
started producing the crystal protein. When insect larvae try to feed on any of the plant
part, they consume this protein and die. This is what we call as Insect Resistant Cotton
or commonly known as Bt cotton. This Bt cotton has certain properties. Commercialisation of Bt technology was first done in the U.S. in the year 1996. Starting with an area of 12% in Bt cotton, the global area in 2000 has risen upto 39% (Table 2). Table 2 : Global Cropping Area Under Bt Cotton
United states was the first country in the world to promote commercialisation of transgenic cotton crop. Today besides them Argentina, P.R. China, Australia, South Africa, Indonesia have started commercial cultivation of Bt cotton. Our neighbouring country P.R. China has invested in a large way in transgenic cotton technology. In China both chinese Academy of Agricultural Science (CAAS) and Monsanto are marketing their Bt cotton products. The growth of transgenic area in this country is phenomenal which can be observed in Table 3. Table 3 : Acreage under Bt Cotton in P.R. China
Commercial cultivation of Bt cotton has considerably reduced the usage of insecticides. Reports indicates that there was reduction in use of insecticides by 900 metric ton (active ingredient) in the year 1998 in U.S and by 1200 metric ton in 1999. P. R. China has reported a reduction of 15000 metric tons of formulated insecticide in 1999 on cotton. Advantages of BT cotton : Major advantages of using BT cotton are as follows. BT cotton in India. BT cotton did not have a very smooth entry in Indian agriculture. The furore started the day open field trials for the crop was permitted. Contradictory statements are heard every day and an ordinary farmer is in a very confused state. The time when the farming community needs a proper guidance over the subject, some people are raising unnecessary doubts about the technology for the reasons best known to them. Those who are speaking on scientific terms are being ignored. BT cotton although has been permitted officially this year, some people had started selling the product illegally since past 2-3 years. This years’ heavy pest load has no doubt proven the effectivity of the technology in the illegally sold BT cotton hybrids as well as in the ICAR conducted trials. Myth about BT Cotton : Some of the commonly heard arguments against BT cotton can be listed as
under : For the sake of the society it is necessary to clarify these doubts with scientific back up and this really is the object of publishing this article. 1. BT Cotton has terminator gene : Terminator technology is a technology wherein the second generation of the crop is rendered sterile without any economic yield. Govt. of India has opposed this technology from day one and whatever BT Cotton seed that will be brought in the market will not have this technology. As far as the purchase of seed every year is concerned, it is not new thing for Indian farmers. With the onset of Green revolution, Indian farmers have understood the importance of quality seeds. Seed replacement ratio has been gradually increasing in the country. Even in the crops like Soybean, Wheat, Paddy etc. where bulk planting material is required, farmers have willingness to buy certified seeds every year from the market. In Cotton, 1969 saw the advent of hybrid cotton with the release of first commercial hybrid in the world “Sankar 4”. Every farmer knows that hybrid seed is to be purchased from the market every year because he realises that in a hybrid good characters have been assembled from two diverse parents. BT Cotton technology will be available to Indian farmers in hybrid Cotton as hybrids are occupying nearly 45% of the cultivated cotton area of the country. Hence like any other cotton hybrid, farmer will required to purchase BT cotton seed every year. 2. India will have to rely on Multinationals for Every Year Seed Requirement :- These kind of statements do not have any meaning. Govt. of India has laid clear norms for procurement of the BT technology. The varieties grown in the America are not suitable for Indian Cultivation. The companies that will be bringing BT technology will be transferring the BT gene in the Indian varieties which are well adopted to our conditions. These companies will be producing, packing and marketing the seed in India itself. The farmers will not have to rely on foreign companies for seed material. 3. BT will destroy native crop of the Country : This too is a baseless claim. The studies carried out on pollen dispersal in BT cotton has indicated out crossing of non-transgenic plants from 0.42 to 2.1% up to a distance of 2 meters. The results in India are consistent with those from USA. Considering this fact there is hardly any doubt that BT cotton will be safe to Native Non-BT crop. Secondly BT Cotton technology is coming in G. hirsutum species which is not compatible with G. arboreum and G. herbaceum. Thirdly no wild relatives of cotton have their origin in India & hence drifting of the gene to wild relatives of the crop does not arise. Insects will soon develop resistance to BT Cotton : Infact BT cotton will offer durable resistance against the bollworms. This is because a plant with a BT gene even under most adverse situations produces toxin quantity that is sufficient to kill bollworms. Secondly in larval stages, bollworms seldom exhibit long distance migratory habit. Thirdly BT toxin is available throughout the plant body & the moment neonates, which is the most vulnerable stage of the larvae, feed on the first available plant part, they consume the poison & die immediately. Hence development of the larvae up to third or fourth stage will never take place. If at all any late stage larva migrates to nearby BT cotton accidentally, the chances are it will die first. If this does not happen it will not be able to complete its life cycle normally & will perish. In spite of this, as a precautionary measure, Dept. Of Biotechnology has made it compulsory to grow 20% non BT variety with BT cotton to control development of resistant insect population. Considering our land holdings, mixed cropping patterns, availability of other host plants for the insects’ development of early resistance against Bt cotton seems remote. If we study the insecticide scenario it is observed that almost every year a new molecule is being launched for control of the bollworms. Today more than a dozen products are available for their control. Even then when there is epidemic of bollworms, a farmer is required to take 8-10 sprays & still he does not get effective control. One can imagine the pollution levels in atmosphere, soil & water when one is required to take so many sprays. And when a farmer does not get an effective control, he increases the doses of insecticides beyond normal recommendations. As a result one can very well observe that a new molecule remains effective for a limited time & then new more poisonous molecules are introduced. Indiscriminate use of insecticides are harming the beneficial flora & fauna of our ecosystem. Aren’t the environmentalists who are so vocal against Bt cotton, aware of this fact? Their crusade should rather be against the excess use of harmful pesticides as well. 5. Bt. May enter animal & human food chain : Food safety and evaluation of seeds, oil and cake of Bt cotton have already been done at Industrial Toxicology Research Center (ITREC) Lucknow. Their four year trial reports have clearly indicated that Bt. Cotton is absolutely safe to mammals. Data from United States about safety of Bt cotton to mammals, birds and fish confirm the same fact. 6. Bt. Cotton will spoil the environment : After going through this article is very clear that Bt cotton is absolutely safe to the environment. In fact by using Bt cotton, we can prevent soil, water and air pollution by reducing the use of insecticides to a large extent. 7. Sprays will be required on Bt cotton : Yes, a farmer will be required to take sprays even on Bt cotton. But these sprays will be required for the control of other pests mainly sucking pests like Aphids, Jassids of Thrips which can be easily controlled by insecticides in a couple of sprays. If we select proper hybrids for sowing containing Bt gene, this problem will seldom arise. Major expenditure on insecticides is for controlling bollworms. Bt will take care of them & one may be required couple of sprays depending on pest attack. Population build up of white flies that develops after excessive use of pyrethroids may not occur. Since feeding habits of sucking pests and lepidopteran pests are altogether different a farmer will have to take sprays on Bt. Cotton as well for control of sucking pests. 8. Farmer will not get any benefit from Bt.cotton : This statement is also made with a prejudice. There may also be partial truth in this as one can not predict the prevailing market prices and the productivity of the crop. It is a thumb rule of commerce that market prices go down with ample availability of the product. But one can not undermine the fact that a farmer will get some saving in Bt cotton cultivation. He will be saving his expenditure by nearly half on use of pesticides. Secondly he will get 15-20% yield advantage from which he can easily bear high cost at the seeds. If we think of our society, then with reduced use of pesticides there will be less pollution hazards, poisoning etc. So saying that farmer will not be absolutely benefited is also untrue. Everybody of us is aware that by 2004 would market is going to open up & the consumer will have more choice of quality products at competitive rates. Even today we have seen that good quality of cotton bales are available on long term credit from foreign countries. If we have to tackle this, we have to become more quality conscious & make up the deficit in support prices by increasing the productivity of the crop and its better management. 9. Bt cotton will be costly : This is true & this is because the world rights of using Bt. Gene are with Monsanto Inc, USA and who-so-ever is using their gene will have to pay the company by way of royalty of the gene. Secondly monitoring, transferring the gene in Indian lines needs high-tech laboratories & the chemicals which are used have to be imported. This all is increasing cost of the seed. But as the time passes & total indigenous research competent with this technology comes in the market the price will go down. Apart from Mahyco-Monsanto, leading seed companies from India will be bringing Bt technology in the market & Ankur Seeds is one of them. After a period of 3-4 years, a farmer will have a good choice of cotton hybrids with Bt gene. This material will be more authentic with assurance to the farmer about good expressibility of the gene in the whole population, morphological distinctness apart from productivity assurance. When the presence of gene will be a common factor, the parents carrying the gene will have more weightage as far as hybrids are concerned. Here more adaptable, high yielding, hybrids with Bt gene will be more preferred by the farmers. This is a point where Ankur Seed will have an edge over others. Today hybrid cotton Ankur 651 is being cultivated on more than 3.25 lakh hectares area in the country. Considering its wide adaptability, performance guarantee and popularity, Ankur Seeds will be launching Bt gene in Ankur 651 cotton hybrid. The management is confident that Ankur 651 with Bt should be available to the farmers by 2004 if every thing goes smoothly. |
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