Cotton Crisis And Bollgard-3

The cotton industry in North India is facing severe challenges due to whiteflies and pink bollworms.

Key issues related Cotton Production

Cotton cultivation in Punjab dropped from 8 lakh hectares three decades ago to just 1 lakh hectares in 2024.
The decline in cotton production has severely impacted the ginning industry, with operational ginning units in Punjab reducing from 422 in 2004 to just 22.
Farmers are advocating for the approval of Bollgard-3, a genetically modified (GM) cotton variety with improved pest resistance.

Definition: Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) technology involves inserting genes from the Bt bacterium into crops, making them resistant to insect pests.
How It Works: The Bt gene produces a toxin that targets specific insect larvae, reducing the need for chemical pesticides and improving crop yield.
Examples of Bt Crops:
- Bt Cotton – Resistant to bollworm pests.
- Bt Brinjal – Protects against fruit and shoots borers.
- Bt Maize – Shields against stem borers.

It is a new pest-resistant GM cotton variety developed by Monsanto over a decade ago.
Purpose: Provides better resistance against insect pests, especially the pink bollworm and other lepidopteran pests.Features of Bollgard-3

Cry1Ab: Kills caterpillars (lepidopteran pests) like corn borers and bollworms.
Cry1Ac: More effective against bollworms, especially pink bollworm.
Vip3A: A newer Bt protein that targets a broader range of pests, including armyworms.
Advantage of Vip3A: More powerful against pests resistant to Cry1Ac.

Contains three Bt proteins, Cry1Ac, Cry2Ab, and Vip3A, which kill pests by disrupting their gut function.
More effective than Bollgard-2, which contains only two Bt proteins (Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab).

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a naturally occurring soil bacterium with insecticidal properties.
Bt genes inserted into cotton plants produce proteins toxic to pests.
When pests consume the plant, these proteins damage their digestive system, leading to their death.

Bollgard-3

Current Bt Cotton (Bollgard-2) is Losing Effectiveness: Introduced in 2006 but is no longer effective against pink bollworm due to pest resistance.
Reduces Dependency on Pesticides: Lowers pesticide use, reducing costs and health risks for farmers.
Increases Yield and Profitability: Enhances cotton productivity and reduces crop losses due to pests.

Not Yet Approved in India: Used in other countries but awaiting approval from India’s regulatory bodies.
Past Approvals:
- Bollgard-1 (2002): Approved as a single-gene technology by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC).
- Bollgard-2 (2006): Approved as a double-gene technology.
Regulatory Delays: The approval process for next-generation GM cotton varieties has been slow.

Without high-yielding, pest-resistant varieties like Bollgard-3, Punjab’s cotton industry faces an uncertain future.
Other countries, like Brazil, are already using advanced technologies (e.g., Bollgard-5) and achieving significantly higher yields.
Farmers continue to push for the approval of Bollgard-3 to combat pest infestations and revive cotton cultivation in India.

Whiteflies are sap-sucking pests that feed on cotton plants by extracting plant juices.
They spread rapidly in warm and dry conditions, making cotton fields highly vulnerable.
These pests transmit viral diseases, such as cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV), which severely affects crop health.
Whiteflies reproduce quickly, making it difficult to control their population.

Stunted Growth: The loss of sap weakens plants, leading to stunted growth and reduced yields.
Leaf Damage: Infested leaves become yellow and dry, hampering photosynthesis and plant development.
Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCuV): Causes curling, vein thickening, and reduced boll formation, leading to significant crop losses.
Quality Reduction: Cotton fibers from infected plants are of poor quality, lowering market value.
Increased Pesticide Use: Farmers resort to excessive pesticide application, increasing production costs and environmental risks.

The pink bollworm is a lepidopteran pest that primarily attacks cotton bolls.
The larvae bore into cotton bolls, feeding on seeds and fibers from the inside.
Infestation occurs in warm conditions and spreads rapidly if not controlled early.
The pest is resistant to many pesticides, making chemical control difficult.

Lower Cotton Yields: Damaged bolls lead to reduced cotton production per hectare.
Poor Fiber Quality: Infested cotton bolls produce weak and discolored fibers, affecting the textile industry.
Delayed Maturity: Infested bolls open prematurely, leading to unripe and low-quality cotton.
Resistance to Bt Cotton (Bollgard-2): The pink bollworm has developed resistance to Bollgard-2, making pest control a challenge.
Economic Losses: Increased pest damage forces farmers to invest more in pest management, reducing profit margins.

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