The performance of
the genetically modified Bt Cotton has been found to be satisfactory.
This was stated by the Environment and Forests Mister, Shri T
R. Baalu in a written reply to a question raised by Shri A Vijayaraghavan
in the Rajya Sabha today. The Minister informed that the performance
of Bt Cotton being grown in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh,
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu has been monitored by
the committees constituted by the Ministry for each State. The
performance of Bt Cotton in terms of higher number of bolls, reduced
number of sprays for control of bollworms and higher yields harvested
so far have been found to be satisfactory.
The Genetic Engineering
Approval Committee (GEAC) accorded conditional clearance for introduction
of three Bt Cotton hybrids namely BT MECH 162,BT MECH 184 and
BT MECH 12 for a period of three years from April 2002 to March
2005. The conditions include plantation of a non-Bt Cotton refuge
around the Bt fields, monitoring the susceptibility of bollworms
to Bt gene, undertaking studies on possible impacts on non-target
insects and crops etc.
