A specialised team within India's biotech authority has given HTBt cotton a favourable biosafety evaluation

What is HTBt Cotton?

HTBt (Herbicide-Tolerant Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton is a genetically engineered variety of cotton that incorporates two characteristics:

Resistance to insects (through the Bt gene), and

Resistance to herbicides such as glyphosate, allowing for easier weed management in cotton agriculture.

Created By: Created by Mahyco-Monsanto Biotech (Bayer), incorporating the Bollgard II Roundup Ready Flex (BG-II RRF) characteristic.

How It Is Created?

Genetic modification incorporates Cry genes (from Bacillus thuringiensis) to enhance pest resistance.

The extra incorporation of the CP4-EPSPS gene provides herbicide resistance, enabling crops to endure glyphosate application while weeds die off.

Principal Attributes of HTBt Cotton:

Dual-Trait Technology: Merges resistance to bollworms and tolerance to herbicides within one crop.

Weed Control Efficiency: Allows aerial application of glyphosate, reducing reliance on manual weeding and labor.

Enhanced Yield Consistency: Minimizes crop damage from pests and weeds, boosting output.

Facilitates Mechanisation: Appropriate for extensive mechanised agriculture in areas experiencing workforce deficits.

Farmer Expense Reduction: Lowers weeding input costs; enhances overall profitability.

Importance:

Tackles labor shortages and increasing expenses related to manual weeding in cotton agriculture.

Aids in addressing yield stagnation brought on by issues such as Tobacco Streak Virus (TSV) in regions with Bt cotton.

Decreases the use of illegal seeds and implements quality control via monitored commercial farming.