more-inPink bollworm infestation in Bt cotton in India has turned the spotlight on an important question: has hybrid cotton lived up to its promise? Yet, cotton researchers are now asking if our over-reliance on this technology is responsible for our biggest problems in Bt cotton, such as infestation and low yield. This was the year when Bt cotton changed the economics of cotton production by cutting down on the costs of pesticides for bollworms. These are barren lands where only a few Indian OP cotton varieties can survive. It was the cultivation of long-duration cotton that triggered both the pink and American bollworm infestations in these regions, creating the need for Bt cotton, they say.

Source: The Hindu April 22, 2018 18:45 UTC