Bt cotton hits more fields

In its meeting on Thursday, the GEAC allowed Rasi Seeds to conduct largescale field trials of RCH 118 Bt and RCH 559 Bt in Central India and also procure seeds of the same. Rasi Seeds has also been allowed to conduct largescale field trials and produce seeds of RCH 368 Bt in South India and of RCH 317 Bt in North India.

Ankur Seeds has been shown the green light for largescale field trials and production of seeds of Ankur 651 Bt and Ankur 2534 Bt in North India and of Ankur 651 Bt and Ankur 09Bt in Central India.

Mahyco has been given the go-ahead for largescale field trials and seed production of MRC 6301 Bt and MRC 6160 Bt in Central India and of MRC 6301 Bt and MRC 6322 Bt in South India.

The GEAC also decided that, ordinarily, largescale field trials in transgenic cotton would be conducted in 80 representative locations per genotype per zone. However, wherever felt necessary, considering facts of the case, the number can be further increased.

The GEAC also approved seed production of the above hybrids in an area of maximum 100 hectare for each variety.

Earlier on April 1, the GEAC approved RCH 2 Bt developed by Rasi Seeds for commercial cultivation in the central and southern parts of the country. With this, RCH 2 Bt becomes the fourth transgenic cotton crop to be approved for commercial cultivation.

In March 2002, GEAC had approved Bt Mech 12, Bt Mech 162 and Bt Mech 184 varieties developed by Monsanto in collaboration with its Indian partner Machyco for commercial cultivation in central and southern India.

At present, there are no approved Bt cotton varieties for commercial cultivation in north India. Last year Monsanto-Mahyco asked for the approval of a Bt variety for commercial cultivation in north India, but the proposal was turned down by the GEAC as the variety in question was susceptible to the deadly leaf curl virus.

According to government estimates, the area under Bt cotton is still negligible, being only 92,000 hectare out the total of over 9 million hectare under cotton. In 2002-03, the first year of its approval for commercial cultivation, Bt cotton covered an area of only 38,038 hectare area representing 0.51 per cent of the area under cotton in the period. In 2003-04, the year of good monsoon rains, the area under Bt cotton increased to 92,000 hectare.

The southern and central parts of the country have the major cotton producing areas, accounting for over 7.29 million hectare out of the total area of 9.10 million hectare.