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Cultivation
of Bt cotton in China - III
Apart
from the USA, China is the only country in the world to successfully
develop its own genetically modified insect-resistant cotton popularly
known as Bt cotton. Several other countries are producing cotton
such as India, Pakistan, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Australia etc their
scientists and researchers have not been able to make any headway
in that direction. In some countries, like India, controversies
are raging whether farmers should be allowed to cultivate Bt cotton
on a commercial scale. In China, nearly 28 per cent of its total
production in 2000 was transgenic insect-resistant cotton. Chinese
researchers have studied the benefits of such cotton both to growers
and consumers and have not yet come across any adverse effects of
such cotton, while further studies are continuing in that direction.
Current indications are that the area under Bt cotton which has
increased from one lakh hectares in 1998 to one million hectares
in 2000 is likely to rise rapidly in the coming years as cultivators
have realised the economic benefits of a shift to Bt cotton from
the traditional varieties. The Chinese cultivators have an option
to go for either indigenously developed Bt cotton or effect the
necessary imports.
Guidelines
So far as the Chinese government’s guidelines in this regard
are concerned, they include active support for such cotton, observation
of a reasonable procedure and development of healthy, stable and
strict management measures.
ACTIVE SUPPORT
Various documents issued by the Chinese authorities agree that the
transgenic insect resistant cotton is the effective way to control
bollworm through biotechnology. It can lift the farmer’s economic
profits and enthusiasm for planting cotton. Thus departments at
all levels which are responsible for cotton production support Bt
cotton cultivation actively, respect the cotton farmer’s will,
and support enthusiasm for planting insect resistant cotton in areas
which are prone to bollworm attack. This leads to healthy development
of cotton production.
OBSERVING PROCEDURES
Apart from active support for growing transgenic insect resistant
cotton, the Chinese government also believes that as a product of
hi-tech, its technology has to be researched more deeply and perfected
as its application has been short in China. During its development,
stipulations and laws about gene release, regional experiment, examination
and approval of varieties, commercialisation of its production as
well as planting arrangement should be strictly observed so as to
protect cotton farmers from suffering losses due to the blind spread.
HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT
It is felt that the relationship between the present and future
should be carefully kept in view. Although the Bt cotton can reduce
the harm of lepidoptera at present, pests will develop resistance
after some years. It is already found that harm being done by pests
such as aphid, carmine, spider, plant-bug and non lepidoptera, is
becoming serious in some areas growing Bt cotton, directly threatening
the sustainable development of cotton.
In regard to relationship between insect resistant and traditional
cotton the experience in China and the world suggests that Bt cotton
and traditional cotton should be planted in a certain proportion
to provide some refuges for pests so that so that the development
of resistance in them can be deterred. The relationship between
different cotton areas: the model for the development of the Bt
cotton should not be a single one because the distribution, situation
and duration of pest-infestation are different in different areas.
STRENGTHENING ADMINISTRATION
Strengthening the administration of genes and varieties
There should be no overall plan for the varieties to be transferred
into insect-resistant genes. The plan should be future oriented.
The development should be conducted differently in the light of
different circumstances in different areas and different varieties.
Strengthening management of
seeds
The Chinese authorities are of the view that they should establish
bases of breeding and processing insect resistant seeds, supervise
seed quality during the whole process, maintain insecticidal activity
and purity of the variety, maintain a unified system of seed production,
forbid farmers to save seeds, price the seeds reasonably and register
domestically produced Bt cotton brands.
Strengthening planting management
An overall planning and a rational arrangement is needed to develop
Bt cotton. In areas where bollworm infestation is light and where
such infestation can be controlled by integrated pest management
measures, Bt cotton and other transgenic crops should be avoided
so as to prolong the life of transgenic insect-resistant cotton.
Strengthening management of resistance property
It would be advisable to establish a new integrated pest management
of transgenic cotton fields and ensure a healthy growth of such
cotton. These guidelines may be of use to other countries as well
who want to promote Bt cotton.
(Concluded)
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