Bt Cotton – UPSC Prelims

Bt cotton is the only transgenic crop that has been approved by the Government of India for commercial cultivation.

Bt cotton has been genetically modified to produce an insecticide to combat the cotton bollworm, a common pest.

Bt cotton was created by genetically altering the cotton genome to express a microbial protein from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis.

In short, the transgene inserted into the plant’s genome produces toxin crystals that the plant would not normally produce which, when ingested by a certain population of organisms, dissolves the gut lining leading to the organism’s death.

This is another variant of Bt cotton.

This variant adds another layer of modification, making the plant resistant to the herbicide glyphosate.

However, this variant has not been approved by regulators.

HT Bt cotton variant has serious environmental and economic consequences. This is because there are fears that glyphosate has a carcinogenic effect. Further, the unchecked spread of herbicide resistance is creating a variety of superweeds.

Illegal sale will eliminate small cotton seed companies and also threaten the entire legal cotton seed market in India.

There is no accountability of the quality of cottonseed as it is being sold illegally.

Industry is losing legitimate seed sales and the government is also losing revenue in terms of tax collection.