Context: A new variety of advanced Bt cotton (Ht Bt or BG III) is undergoing trials for commercial cultivation. Expected to reduce production costs and expand cotton cultivation, benefiting the textile industry. Approval pending completion of assessments by ICAR (Indian Council of Agriculture Research).
Bt Cotton Detailed
Historical Context and Current Challenges:
- Bt cotton (BG1) approved in 2002, followed by two-gene Bt cotton (Bollgard II) in 2006 to combat bollworms.
- Pink bollworm resistance emerged, impacting cotton production until recent management strategies boosted output.
Sectoral Growth and Market Potential:
- Textiles and apparel market valued at $168 billion, projected to grow at 10% CAGR, aiming for $350 billion by 2030.
- India ranks third in textile exports globally, with expectations to reach $100 billion in exports.
Utilization of Self-Help Groups (SHGs):
- Utilization of 10.2 crore SHG members for cost-effective labor in textile sector.
- States like MP, UP, Bihar, and Odisha offering subsidies to promote textile industry growth.
Policy and Infrastructure Initiatives:
- Promotion of ‘hub and spoke’ model to enhance domestic manufacturing.
- Revival of Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP) to establish internationally standardized parks.
Geopolitical Perspective:
- Minister dismisses Bangladesh as a threat, aims to surpass China in future textile dominance.
- Cites challenges in Bangladesh including high water and raw material tariffs.
Bt Cotton:
- Bt cotton is a genetically modified pest-resistant plant cotton variety modified by the insertion of one or more genes (Cry1 Ac) from the soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis.
- Strains of the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis produce toxins that are harmful to a variety of insects, and it has been found to combat American bollworm – moth larvae that commonly attack cotton crops.
- Bt cotton is India’s first transgenic crop formally approved for commercial cultivation in 2002.
- Aim of introducing Bt cotton to India was to reduce the amount of insecticide needed in farming cotton.
- Benefits: Reduction in production cost, increase in profit, reduced farming risk and improved economic outlook for cotton, does not harm non-target beneficial insects, helpful in improving wildlife population, reduced run-off of insecticides and air pollution.
Previous year question (2021)
Bollgard I and Bollgard II technologies are mentioned in the context of
(a) clonal propagation of crop plants
(b) developing genetically modified crop plants
(c) production of plant growth substances
(d) production of biofertilizers
Ans: (b)
Practice question
With reference to Bt-Cotton, consider the following statements:
1. It is developed by insertion of genes from the indigenous cotton plants.
2. It is India’s first transgenic crop formally approved for commercial cultivation.
3. It helped to reduce run-off of insecticide.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Ans: (b)
Explanation:
- Bt cotton is a genetically modified pest-resistant plant cotton variety modified by the insertion of one or more genes (Cry1 Ac) from the soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis.
- Bt cotton is India’s first transgenic crop formally approved for commercial cultivation in 2002.
- Benefits: Reduction in production cost, increase in profit, reduced farming risk and improved economic outlook for cotton, does not harm non-target beneficial insects, helpful in improving wildlife population, reduced run-off of insecticides and air pollution.