The document summarizes the development and release of Bt cotton in India. It describes cotton production trends in India and the major pest problems faced by farmers, particularly bollworms, which cause significant yield losses. It outlines the process of developing Bt cotton through genetic engineering, including gene identification, breeding, field trials, and regulatory approval. Bt cotton was first approved for commercialization in India in 2002 and has provided farmers protection against bollworms while reducing insecticide use and costs. The document lists various Bt cotton hybrids recommended for cultivation in different regions of India.

1. Release of Bt Cotton in India: A Case Study
By
Deva Ram
M.Sc Ag.

2. Insects 330 M yrs.
Dinosaurs 160 M yrs
Man 1.5 M yrs
We inherited this planet from insectsWe inherited this planet from insects

3.  Cotton is one of the main cash crop grown in India, belongs to
family Malvaceae.
 It consists of 4 species namely G. arborium, G. barbadence G.
herbacium and G.hirsutam
 USA is the leading country in the world in production and area.
 India, the world's second biggest cotton grower, had produced a
record 34.25 million bales in the 2011-12 (1 bale= 170kg).
 According to the (CAI Cotton association of India) estimates,
there will be a decrease of 3 percent in cotton cultivation area this
year over the past year.
 (Source: www.cai.com)

4.  CAB has estimated 2012-13 cotton acreage at 11.02 million
hectares against 12.17 million hectares in 2011-12, down 9.44
percent 2011-12 marketing year.
 In India major growing states Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra
Pradesh followed by Karnataka.
 It is also known as White gold
 (Source : www. CAB)

5. • A crop of significant
economic importance,
valued at over Rs. 15000
crores
• Approx. 12 Mn acres of
cotton provides livelihood
to almost 4 million farmers.
• Damage by Insect pests
reduce yields by 50%
• (Source agri. Statistics 2009)
Cotton trends in India

6.  Farmers spend most money on
controlling bollworms; up to
15 sprays and over RS. 1400
Cr
 Insects resistance to chemicals
is increasing
 Yields are reduced in spite of
sprays

8. 22.5 % of all crop pesticide in the world
55% of total insecticides used is on Cotton majority on bollworm
control
Helicoverpa a common major pest, causing epidemics resulting into
calamity
H. armigera comes in more than one peak along with pink boll worm
in all cotton growing zones
Other pests: Jassids,Aphids,White flies and Thrips
Rs. 2600 crores is spent in controlling insect pests on cotton.
(Source: CAB 2009)
Pesticide Usage

9. Change in pest Scenario
a. Excessive and indiscriminate use of pesticides
b. Improper choice, quantity and application of pesticides.
c. Use of pesticide mixtures
(Has lead to)
a. Resurgence of minor pests
b. Resistance to pesticides
c. Increase in cost of protection
Constraints of Cotton Production

10.  Laboratory phase:
 Involves identification of the gene, achieving stable
transformation and adequate expression
 Breeding phase:
 Involves using the transformantion as a donor parent for
transferring the trait to other elite germplasm
 Bio-Safety & Field studies:
 Required to establish the safety of the transgenic product
 Both small scale and large scale needed to establish the
agronomic superiority and determine parameters like
yield, quality etc
 Regulatory Process for Transgenic Crops:
 IBSC, RCGM, ME, ICAR & GEAC.

11. Conventional
plant breeding
Desired gene
Commercial varietySource variety / species Result
By comparison, biotechnology offers
more precise plant breeding...
X
Modern
biotechnology

12.  Greater crop area, variety of crops.
 Better crop protection.
 Greater need for more food and nutrition.

13. A transgenic plant is a normal crop plant
with one or more additional genes from
diverse sources engineered into the plant
genome, the plant thus acquires new,
stable and inherited trait/traits.

14.  Agrobacterium-mediated transformation
 Particle bombardment

15. Also known as Gene Gunn/ Biolistic method.
1st
used in Tobacco, most commonly used in indirect method.
It involves instrument which consists parts like Firing pin, Micro
projectile, micro plate holder, sample strand and helium gas cylinder.
Before using all physical parameter are optimised. Then high
pressure is created with gas cylinder and micro projectile.
Gene of interest coated with metals like gold is allowed to bombard
into samples.
As a result gene of interest is inserted into plant genome and the
plant cell is selected and grown to develop into whole plant with the
help of plant tissue culture.

16.  A.tumefaciens is a gram –ve soil bacterium which infects wide
range of Dicot plants.
 It carries Ti plasmid in addition to chromosomal DNA.
 During infection,Ti plasmid transfers a portion of its TDNA in to
the plant cell.
 TDNA integrates into the chromosomal DNA of the plant.
 TDNA segment of Ti plasmid carries a number of genes encoding
enzymes for the synthesis of phytohormones such as cytokinins
and auxins which stimulate the growth and division of the plant
tissue results in the formation of tumors and production of specific
metabolites called opines such as octopine and nopaline.
 Gene of interest inserted within the T-region of the Tiplasmid are
transferred and stable integrated into the plant genome.

17.  Food and fiber production
 Increased yield
 Nutritional quality
 Insect and disease control
 Weed and a biotic stress tolerance
 Medicine and food processing
Transgenic Crop Plants: Traits

18.  First reported from diseased silkworm from Japan.
 Berliner coined the name Bacillus thuringiensis,
isolated the strain from a grain mill in German
district of Thuriengien
 First commercial preparation prepared in 1927
 First large scale Bt based product released for sale
in 1957 by Sandoz Corp.
 It was a Bt variety kurstaki strain marketed as
“Thuricide”.

20.  Insecticidal activity in crystalline bodies produced
during sporulation of the bacteria.
 Composed of proteins (delta endotoxins).
 The crystals dissolve in the alkaline conditions of insect
midgut.
 Release proteins (protoxins) of relative molecular mass
65KD-160KD.
 These are proteolytically processed by midgut proteases
to yield smaller toxic fragments (65KD).

21.  The activated protein crosses the peritrophic
membrane
 Binds to receptors on the midgut epithelium
 Gut paralysis
 Midgut lining disintegrates
 Larva stops feeding
 Dies in 2-3 days.

22.  Low efficacy
 UV-degradable, short field persistence.
 Poor Coverage

23.  Human health risks.
i. Risk of possible allergies
ii. Extensive testing required.
iii. Labeling of GM food required.
vi. Fear of danger to human health from foreign gene.
 Environmental risks.
i. Unintended harm to other organisms
ii. Pests develop resistance to transgenics.
iii. Gene transfer to non-target species.

24.  Economic concerns.
I. Fear of economic concentration.
II. Intellectual property rights & ethics.
III. Failure to exercise regulatory oversight

25.  Evaluation of risk before release of transgenic.
 Base decisions on validated information.
 Regulating transgenics by Government.
 Safety testing.
 International policies and trade.
 Public awareness and education.

26. 26
Agencies Involved in Rules,1989 of EPAct 1986
GOVERNMENT OF
INDIA
Dept. of BiotechnologyDept. of Environment
RCGMGEAC
IBSC
PI/ Applicant
SBCC
Large Scale
Imports,
Production
and Release
DLC
Applicant Monitoring
-cum-
Evaluation
Committee
R&D,
Limited
experimental
field trials and
imports for
R&D.

27. It involves:
i. Regulations
ii. Risk Assessment
iii. Release
It needs: i. Regulatory Agencies
ii. Research Organizations

28. Sub-threshold Protection in B.t Cotton
Economic Threshold level
Non Bt cotton
insecticide application
triggered
Rs.Rs.
Time
Population(Damage)
Rs.Rs.
Rs.Rs.
Rs.Rs.
Rs.Rs.
Bt cotton
Savings

29.  Bt cotton provides in built protection to cotton against
Lepidopteran pests (Helicoverpa)
 Can significantly reduce the number of sprays for
Helicoverpa therefore reducing farmers costs and debt
 Potential for large yield increase
 It is safe to crop
 Fits into the IPM strategy in India
 Peace of Mind

30.  1994 Formation of IBSC & application for seed import
 1995 Permit to import seed (100 gm )
 1996 Imported seed, Greenhouse trial
 1996 Limited field trial -1 Location
 1997-98 Limited field trials-5 Locations
 1998 Ruminant (goat) and Allerginicity studies
 1998-99 Multi centric replicated trials-15-25 Locations
 1999-00 Multi centric replicated trials-11 Locations
 2000-01 Large Scale field Trials & Hybrid Seed Production,
Conduction of various Studies, ICAR Trials
 2001-02 Large Scale & ICAR trials, Hybrid Seed Prodn.
 2002: Approval for commercialization by GEAC

31. Research on Bt cotton development in India
Mahyco - Cry1Ac
Monsanto Cry1Ac+2Ab
Nath seeds Cry1Ac modified (China)
JK seeds Cry1Ac modified (IIT Khargpur
Syngenta Vip3A
Dow Agri. Science Cry1F
ICAR Cry1Aa3
Cry1F
Cry1Ia5
Cry1Ab (Japan)
Cry1Ac (Canada)
NBRI Cry1Ec

32. Recommended Bt cotton hybrids for
commercial cultivation in India
North Zone Central Zone South Zone
(6) (12) (10)
MRC-6301 MECH-12 MECH-12
MRC-6304 MECH-162 MECH-162
RCH-134 MECH-184 MECH-184
RCH-317 MRC-6301 RCH-2(2004)
Ankur-651 RCH-2 (2004) RCH-20
Ankur-2534 RCH-118 RCH-368
RCH-138 MRC-6322
RCH-144 MRC-6918(HB)
Ankur-651 Bunny
Ankur-09 Mallika
Bunny
Mallika

33. “India has avoided famine.
But hunger continues even
today”
Prof. Amartya Sen,Prof. Amartya Sen,
Nobel Prize Laureate for Economics ,Nobel Prize Laureate for Economics ,
19981998

34.  AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS AT GLANCE 2012.
 Dhaliwal Ramesh Arora G.S Integrated Pest
Management kalyani Publishers , 2006, 259-263.
 www.cab.com
 www.cci.com
 www.cicr.com
 www.economictimes.com
 www.mahyco.co.in