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Modified Bt cotton performance in Maharashtra

24 Mar '06

4 min read

Bt cotton plantings for 2005 have been estimated at over 1 million hectares in India (Monsanto), highlighting the continuing increase in adoption. The analyses presented here relate to cotton growers in Maharashtra.

G. hirsutum and G. arboreum are the two species of cotton grown in Maharashtra. Most of the cotton grown (73% of cotton area) is an intra-hirsutum hybrid, with the remainder being covered with improved (nonhybrid) hirsutum and arboreum cultivars.

MECH-162 Bt, MECH-184 Bt, and MECH-12 Bt are three Mahyco–Monsanto Bt cotton hybrids grown in the subregions. Bunny, Tulsi, NHH-44, and JK-666 are popular non-Bt varieties. The analyses presented in this article compare the performance of plots with the former three Bt cotton hybrids (identified from seed company records) to those where non-Bt varieties were grown.

Given the importance of the cotton industry in India and the current global debate on the use of GM technology in developing countries (see, for example, Abdalla et al.; Food and Agricultural Organization; Friends of the Earth International; Nuffield Council on Bioethics), it is not surprising that there has been considerable and vigorous debate regarding the agronomic and economic performance of Bt cotton in India. Various reports have claimed both successes (e.g., AC Nielsen) and failures (e.g., Shiva and Jafri).

The main debate has centered around whether Bt cotton consistently performs better than non-Bt varietiesand whether adoption of Bt varieties results in an economic benefit to producers.

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