Farmers cautioned against sowing of BT cotton seeds
24 Apr '06
2 min read
Cultivation of BT (bacillus thuriengenesis) cotton seed is illegal, says Muhammad Islam Gill, Director, Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI).
Government authorities, particularly Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, have not yet allowed sowing of BT cotton, he informed.
Locally-evolved cotton seed is still undergoing research and experimentation, and it is premature to cultivate it on commercial scale, he said.
Gill said some seed merchants are marketing imported seed varieties of BT cotton which can cause a host of problems such as cotton leaf curl virus (CLCV) attack on plant.
Research is on to evolve a BT cotton seed variety that is suitable to environment, soil and climatic conditions of the country, and which will be free of all dangers, he observed.
Cultivation of CIM-496, CIM-506, CIM-499, CIM-473, FH-901 and NIAB-111 cotton seed varieties has been recommended by him presently.
These varieties ensure good yield, long staple, more ginning out-turn (lint), heat and CLCV-tolerant, less susceptible to insect attack and require less irrigation.
The locally-developed BT cotton is likely to increase production even beyond last year's figure of 15 million bales, he assured.
Foreign BT cotton seed is more productive and consumption of pesticides is less but has several other drawbacks.
These seeds require more irrigation, more fertilizer, undergoes more fruit shedding, may not acclimatise to harsh summer conditions, and being a late maturing variety, will delay sowing of wheat, leading to less yield per acre, he cautioned.
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