In a global groundbreaking development, agri scientists at the CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow have announced the creation of the world’s first genetically modified (GM) cotton fully resistant to the Pink Bollworm (PBW).
The pest has long plagued cotton farmers in India, Africa, and Asia, wrecking havoc on standing crops and causing massive financial loss to farmers.
Since the introduction of GM cotton in India in 2002, varieties such as Bollgard 1 and Bollgard 2 developed jointly with US-based Monsanto controlled some bollworm species.
However, in due course, these varieties failed to provide robust control against PBW, known locally in India as Gulabi Sundi.
The PBW evolved resistance to the Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab proteins, thus increasing the threat. As a result, the cotton yields have been declining substantially in India.
Addressing this critical gap, NBRI researchers, led by chief scientist Dr P K Singh developed a novel insecticidal gene.
This indigenous gene, uniquely effective against PBW, has been successfully tested for PBW resistance as compared to Bollgard 2 cotton.
Rigorous laboratory trials at NBRI have shown that the new GM cotton is highly tolerant to PBW, while also offering protection against other pests such as the cotton leaf worm and the fall armyworm.
Meanwhile, Nagpur-based agri-biotech company Ankur Seeds has offered to partner with NBRI.
It will collaborate on safety studies per regulatory guidelines and generate extensive multi location data from field trials with the NBRI technology in their proprietary hybrid cotton varieties.
Once these studies confirm the technology’s safety, the seeds will be licensed to multiple seed companies for further variety and hybrid development, leading to widespread commercialisation.
Once introduced into hybrid cotton varieties by seed companies, cotton productivity could increase by 20 percent compared to current yields that have been around 420-450 kg and are on a downward trend.
It will increase farmers’ income since higher lint yields can boost farm income by Rs 10,000 per hectare. Thus, the new technology could dramatically improve the livelihoods of cotton growers.
It will reduce pesticide use by cutting down on the need for frequent pesticide spray. The farmers would have a saving of roughly Rs 2,000 per hectare on this count.
The new technology, thus, supports both cost reduction and environmental sustainability.
Cotton, a high-value cash crop contributing significantly to India’s export earnings, ranks among the top three revenue-generating crops next only to wheat and paddy.
As India celebrates National Science Day, the release of this indigenous, globally unique GM technology marks a significant leap forward in sustainable agriculture, NBRI director Dr Ajit Kumar Shasany observed.
In India, BT cotton, which is primarily a kharif crop, is cultivated across 12 million hectares of land in states like Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu etc.
Currently, crop loss of almost 20 percent is attributed to the menace of PBW in India.