Nobel prize winner and one of the architects of the green revolution Dr Norman E. Borlaug today came out strongly in favour of BT cotton and the use of chemical fertilisers. Borlaug, who delivered the 22nd Coromandel lecture on ‘From the Green to the Gene Revolution: A 21st Century Challenge’, said: ‘‘Fertilisers — organic or non-organic — are nutrients for the soil, especially the right kind of fertilisers. and lead to higher productivity.’’He added that this assumed importance as there is limited potential for land expansion especially in India. Borlaug said BT cotton is doing a good job in many parts of the world and protecting against insects and advocated the extensive use of modified crops. He said those who oppose BT Cotton were not aware of the global research studies that showed GM crops had raised productivity level.‘‘One has to go by scientific facts on productivity, and not by emotion,’’ he said. ‘‘Use of BT Cotton is in nine million hectare worldwide and six million small farmers. There is an excellent control of boll worms. And 25,000 million tonnes of reduction in use of insecticide,’’ he said.
