The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Agriculture Tribune

Bt cotton — facts and fallacy
G.S. Chahal and Joginder Singh

Inevitable but excessive use of pesticides and above all their failure to eliminate American bollworm has attracted the cotton growers towards this transgenic crop as a breather. The farmers must know the facts lest they feel cheated even by this miracle cotton. The cotton of Punjab which once made it a hero in the country has now virtually ruined the economy of cotton growers of the state. Punjab used to boast of its highest yield level of over 600 kg of lint per hectare which was three times our national average and slightly better than world average for this crop. Alas! such a pride of place for cotton is a thing of the past because our cotton production has been gradually decreasing for the past couple of years with all-time low of 220 kg/hac in 1998. Such a frustrating situation has primarily been created by unexpectedly high incidence of bollworms, especially the Helicoverpa or American sundi. At present the use of pesticides is the only way out to keep these bollworms under control as a result of which about 50 per cent of all the agro-chemicals are being used on the cotton crop alone. It is but natural that under regular exposure to insecticides, the insects are likely to develop resistance to insecticides rendering even these poisons ineffective. Dismayed over this failure of insecticides the cotton growers started making excessive use of pesticides in terms of higher dose and frequency of spray interval. But even with 3-4 times higher than recommended use of pesticides the bollworms continue to devastate the cotton crop as a result of which cotton growers have lost faith in chemical control of insects. In such a situation every farmer will be surprised if somebody talks about a variety which does not require any spray and he would jump to purchase such a variety. It is unfortunate that the much talked-about ‘Bt’ cotton has become a host to propaganda of such a ‘No-spray cotton’ which, in fact, is nothing but a fallacy.

What then is Bt cotton?

It is not a particular variety but the type of cotton which carries a special gene derived from soil born bacterium, Baccillus thuringiensis and hence it name Bt. Such a gene can be added to any other crop like maize, rice wheat or rather any living organism through the technology of genetic engineering to produce so-called GMO’s "genetically modified organisms" or transgenics. The Bt cotton is thus a transgenic cotton in which a bacterial gene is added that produces a special type of protein called cry protein. When an insect feeds on Bt cotton the cry protein is ingested and it gets solubilised in the stomach of the insect to produce a toxic chemical called protoxin. This protoxin binds to specific receptors in the stomach of sensitive insects and causes death of insect due to cell swelling and paralysis. The most important property of this toxin is that it does not affect what lack the receptors. It in fact is toxic to only a particular group of lepidopteran insects and particularly cotton bollworms. All other insect species, including beneficial insects, wild life, marine life are not affected because all of these lack those receptor cells in their stomach. Moreover, the insecticidal protein in the plant begins to break down immediately after the plant dies so there is no danger of its toxic effect in soil or underground water. The ‘Bt’ cotton has thus in-plant system of protection against bollworms without any harmful effect on other insects or living organisms. It is such a built-in mechanism that enables the plant to protect itself better than through the external application of insecticides because.

— The insect protection capacity of the Bt cotton remains always available in the plant to fight back insect attack. On the other hand, there is no foolproof method to keep the plant always covered with insecticides which are applied only at fixed intervals and that also when insect has already attacked in a specified number.

— In contrast to all-time availability of toxin in the Bt-based plant, the insecticides cannot be applied during rainy days and are also washed by rains and drifted away by strong winds during their application.

— Though the bollworms eat only on fruiting parts but insecticides are unnecessarily deposited on all plant parts, which is wastage and also leads to environmental pollution.

— There is every chance of reduced effectiveness of insecticides due to poor quality, faulty spray equipment and spraying method and above all due to vagaries of nature. The Bt toxin on the other hand is free from such lapses.

Why then Bt is ‘not’ a ‘no-spray cotton’?

In the light of its unique features of combining useful properties of bacterium and cotton plant, the Bt technology provides a very effective control of the insect pests. It, however, is feared that it may become a victim of over expectations. As stated earlier Bt toxin is effective against only bollworms and it has no effect on other insects and diseases. Cotton is also heavily attacked by sucking type of pests like jassids and whitefly against which Bt is not effective. The Bt cotton shall thus have to be saved from these insects only through use of pesticides. Another equally important aspect of Bt is that it does not provide 100 per cent protection even against bollworms! At the first instance it is obvious that an insect won’t be instantly killed after feeding on fruiting bodies and it shall destroy a number of flower buds and bolls before it gets inactivated by Bt toxin. The use of insecticides to control at initial stages is a net profit in terms of yield of cotton and also for checking the rate of multiplication of pest. Secondly, under excessive use of pesticides the insects are expected to have developed resistance against some of the insecticides. All such insects with resistance to insecticides whose mode of action is similar to that of Bt toxin are expected to be resistant to Bt through the process of cross-resistances. So in such cases the Bt cottons would require the use of some insecticides to supplement the action of Bt gene to control such resistant insects. One of the measures to check the development of resistance against Bt by the insects is to grow non-Bt as refuge along with Bt cotton. In such a situation the use of some chemicals is unavoidable.

It, therefore, is evident that special properties of Bt cotton lie only in protection against bollworms without any alternation of other agronomic properties of a variety. The Bt can be added to any variety which otherwise gives satisfactory yield in an area and Bt version of that variety would require the usual practices of proper sowing, spacing, fertilisers, etc. A Bt-based variety which otherwise is not suitable and recommended for an area would fail not due to insects but entirely on account of agronomic unsuitability.

Current status of Bt cotton in the world:

The work on transgenic cotton was started in the USA during 1990s first to develop herbicide resistant and then bollworm-resistant cotton. A multinational company Monsanto commercialised the first Bt cotton in the USA in 1996. Since then it has been adopted in Mexico, Australia, China, Argentina and South Africa. At present Bt cotton covers over 70 per cent of area under cotton in the USA and 40 per cent in South Africa and its share is increasing in China also. After two years field testing, India also has now allowed Monsanto-Mahyco combine to commercialise Bt cotton in India. Though in all other countries Bt cotton is available in conventional type of varieties, but in India so far it is available only in the form of hybrids. The public institutes like PAU and other institutes of the ICAR would prefer to add this gene, whenever made available, to conventional varieties for the benefit of farmers. By virtue of high environmental sensitivity of cotton and highly variable climatic conditions of cotton growing areas of the country usually no, single variety of cotton is successful throughout India. On the basis of last two years trials Monsanto-Mahyco have identified two Bt-based hybrids which would be marketed in central and southern states but none of these is suitable for northern state. The company concerned is planning to market a suitable Bt-based hybrid in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan not this year but from 2003 crop season. The Bt cotton is a useful technology that has potential to strengthen the cotton crop in fighting the ever increasing onslaught of bollworms. The chief advantage of Bt cotton lie in.:

— The number of sprays can be considerably reduced that would reduce cost of production and also the residue of pesticides in lint and seeds.

— It would check environmental pollution caused by drifting of insecticides.

— The efficiency of insecticides is increased due to dual protection of Bt and insecticides as a result of which up to 10-20 per cent increase in yield has been reported.

— Bt cotton would help in multiplication of useful insects which can control bollworms.

— The most pragmatic use of Bt cotton lies in the adoption of IPM where a strong foundation would be provided by in-plant resistance of Bt cotton. It would be augmented with suitable cultural measures like timely sowing, adequate use of fertilisers and need-based application of pesticides. The Bt cotton in fact can provide a starting point for the adoption of IPM which is the only way to reduce pesticide load and cost of cultivation to make cotton cultivation economical and competitive in the international market.

There is need of better regulation of cultivation of Bt cotton which would need legal intervention and policy modification. A large quantity of F2 seed of untested and unauthorised Bt-based hybrids from Gujarat to Punjab is expected to cause huge losses which may prove to be suicidal for Bt cotton because our farmers may lose faith in the actual worth of such Bt cottons that would affect the popularity of this otherwise potentially useful technology.

Contract farming to promote oilseed
production in Punjab
Manoj Kumar

The edible oil industry, already facing bad times in Punjab and its neighbouring states, has taken an initiative to increase the oilseed production in Punjab by starting contract farming on 1000 acres in Fazilka. The Solvent Extractors Association of Punjab is now in the process of finalising a project with the Punjab Agro-Industries Corporation under which oilseeds — sunflower, mustard, castor and others — would be produced through contract farming.

Mr A.R. Sharma, president, Solvent Extractors Association of Punjab, says: ‘‘Only 44 out of 80 oil mills are working and the rest have been forced to close down due to fall in the supply of oilseeds and higher taxes in Punjab. The oilseed production has decreased from 2.89 lakh tonnes in 1996-97 to just 89,000 tonnes in 2001-02.’’

Elaborating the causes of this development, he claims: ‘‘The government has failed to ensure remunerative prices of oilseeds to farmers in comparison to wheat and paddy. The MSP on grains has increased by over 156 per cent against 91 per cent for oilseeds during the past one decade. The fall in international prices and above all 23.1 per cent taxes and levies on edible oil at different stages in Punjab, in comparison to about 12 per cent in Haryana have badly affected the oilseed-based industry like oil expellers, solvent extraction plants, cattlefeed plants and poultry farming.’’

The industry has proposed to the government that like sugar mills, the solvent extraction plants should be legally allowed to sign contracts with farmers. The Punjab Agro could play the role of a nodal agency to ensure timely and remunerative price to farmers and assured supply to the units.

In a recently held national seminar on edible rice bran oil at Chandigarh, the association had asked the central and state governments to rationalise the tax structure to provide a level playing field to domestic producers. Mr Sharma claims that by rationlising the taxes and allowing contract farming, they could pay up to Rs 200 per quintal to the farmers, now gobbled by the middlemen.

Officials in the Punjab Agro also point out that the government is trying to shift at least one million hectare area under the wheat-paddy rotation to other cash crops like oilseeds. In fact, the area under oilseeds had increased from 1.85 lakh hectares to 2.48 lakh hectares between 1960-61 and 1996-97. However, later it declined to just 87,000 hectares by 2000-01.

The oil extractors blame the policies of the previous government for this fall in production. Mr Sanjeev Nagpal, vice-president, Solvent Extractors Association of Punjab, says: ‘‘We have to pay 2 per cent market fee, 2 per cent RDF, 1 per cent infrastructure cess, 4.4 per cent sales tax/purchase tax, 4.4 per cent sales tax on refined oil, 4.4 per on oil cakes, 4.4 per cent on de-oiled cakes and 0.5 per cent octroi totalling 23.1 per cent duties. On the other hand, in Haryana, the industry has to pay 2 per cent market fees, 2 per cent purchase tax, that is refundable, and 4 per cent sales tax making it totally uncompetitive for us to stay in business.’’ Consequently, the oilseed production in Haryana has increased by four times than in Punjab over the past few years, though dry conditions in Haryana have also contributed to this phenomenon, he adds.

The oil extraction mills, spread all over the Punjab have also suffered because of an obsolete technology, lower percentage of extraction. Mr Nagpal feels that the contract farming based on community participation could provide the state a chance to become competitive in comparison to other producers in the domestic and international markets.

It has also decided to promote rice bran oil because of its high nutritious value, competitive price and availability of abundant rice bran in the state. Mr Sharmasays: ‘‘At present we are importing about 45 lakh tonnes of edible oil annually, on the other hand we are producing surplus wheat and paddy. By adopting contract farming and right mix of price incentives we can reverse the trend. It would not only save precious foreign exchange resources, but would also provide employment to thousands of labourers and farmers in Punjab and other states.’’

HP promoting aromatic plant cultivation
Balkrishan Prashar

The Mountain Agriculture Research and Extension Station (MARES), located at Salooni in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh is all set to change the socio-economic status of small and marginal farmers of the alpine region of Chamba. This station of the Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar (CSK) Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur, till recently known as research substation, was established in 1987 to conduct research on maize, wheat, mash, rajmash, barley and vegetable crops.

Globalisation of the market and open economy have provided unlimited opportunities to the country which is gifted with varying climatic conditions and vast natural resources. Cold, dry, temperature and high-altitude areas like Salooni are favourable for growing medicinal and aromatic plants.

The university has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Institute of Himalayan Bio-Resource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, to promote cultivation and processing of medicinal and aromatic plants in Salooni. The purpose was to promote, disseminate information on such plants through trainings, education and research and to establish a strong base for cultivation and processing technologies for medicinal and aromatic plants.

MARES started work on lavender and lavadin cultivation in the district almost two years back with the agro-technology knowhow of the IHBT.

The Himachal Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, recently launched two essential oil distillation units set up in the station. One hydro-distillation unit with 5-quintal capacity and one steam distillation unit with 4-quintal capacity would facilitate the essential oil extraction at this station.

Essential oils of lavender, lavadin, geranium and rose have and enhanced industrial demand and the trade is well organised at the national and international levels.

According to Dr Tej Partap, Vice-Chancellor, there is a great scope for promoting this activity in the mountain region which is climatically of ideal location for cultivation, and processing of several high-value aromatic crops. "This will result in significant economic growth in these areas," he adds. He says that in the near future the university is going to add more aromatic and medicinal plants in the region, in addition to strengthen the station to meet all farm and allied needs of the farming community.

Lavender extraction is one of the important essential oils used in the perfume industry and all the requirements of the industry in India are met through imports. This perennial plant can be multiplied with stem cuttings. It yields 30 to 40 quintals of flowering tops per hectare giving a 30 to 40 kg oil yield. The oil sells at Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per kg.

Initially, 20 farmers have been involved by giving training in cultivation practices of this crop in Chamba district. The first lavender oil distilled from Salooni plantation was evaluated for its quality and all the quality-determining constituents were found within the prescribed limits.

The Medicinal Plant Board, Government of India, has sanctioned a research project entitled "Diversification of cropping systems involving high valued medicinal and aromatic crops for economic sustainability in hilly regions of Himachal Pradesh". This three-year project worth Rs 22 lakh will be handled by the in charge of the station, Dr U.K. Puri. Another project by the Rural Development Department worth Rs 5 lakh for extension of lavender cultivation in the farmers’ fields will help in disseminating the research to farmers.

Dr Tej Partap says that in addition to the CSK HP Agricultural University and the IHBT, three departments of the state government, three non-governmental organisations and some local industries will be working in close coordination for production and marketing of the oils. He, however, claims that it is the beginning and not the end. The success stories of Chamba farmers will be repeated in other areas of the state in the days to come.