Bt Cotton

General description about Bt Cotton.

1. Bt Cotton Submitted By:- Ilika Kaushik B.Tech Biotech, 7 th Sem 15BTBIOT018 JIBB, SHUATS. Submitted To:- Dr. Amit Alexander Charan Sir Asst. Professor Dept.of MCE JIBB, SHUATS .

2. Index Bacillus thuringiensis Discovery Bt Cotton Production of Bt Cotton Mechanism of Insecticidal Action Advantages Disadvantages and Controversies References

3. Bacillus thuringiensis Bt is a gram-positive, soil dwelling and sporulating bacterium. It produces crystal proteins during sporulation. This has insecticidal action on many insects and pests. Many strains though producing Bt strains, do not have insecticidal properties in them.

4. Discovery Bt  was first discovered in 1901 by Japanese  biologist  Ishiwatari in  silkworms. He named it  Bacillus sotto meaning bacillary paralysis .  In 1911 , German microbiologist Ernst Berliner  independently rediscovered it when he isolated it as the cause of a disease in  flour moth caterpillars in Thuringia  B . sotto  would later be reassigned as   B.thuringiensis   var .  sotto. In 1976, Robert A. Zakharyan reported the presence of a plasmid in a strain of  B. thuringiensis  and suggested the plasmid's involvement in endospore and crystal formation.

5. Bt Cotton Bt cotton is a genetically modified cotton variety. It produces insecticides against insects like bollworms. It is effective against plant bugs , stink bugs and aphids . It was first approved for field trials in 1993 in US . Came for commercial use in 1995 in US . Chinese gov . approved it in 1997. In 2002 , a joint venture between MONSANTO and   MAHYCO  introduced Bt cotton to India.

6. Production of Bt Cotton

7. Mechanism of Insecticidal Action

8. Advantages Increases yield of cotton due to effective control of three types of bollworms, viz. American, Spotted and Pink bollworms. Insects belonged to Lepidoptera are sensitive to crystalline endotoxic protein produced by Bt gene which in turn protects cotton from bollworms. Reduction in insecticide use in the cultivation of Bt cotton. Potential reduction in the cost of cultivation Reduction in environmental pollution by the use of insecticides. Bt cotton exhibit genetic resistance or inbuilt resistance which is a permanent type of resistance and not affected by environmental factors. Bt cotton is ecofriendly and does not have adverse effect on parasites, predators, beneficial insecticides and organisms present in soil. It promotes multiplication of parasites and predators which help in controlling the bollworms by feeding on larvae and eggs of bollworm. No health hazards due to rare use of insecticides.

9. Disadvantages and Controversies High cost of Bt cotton seeds as compared to non Bt cotton seeds. Effectiveness up to 120 days, after that the toxin producing efficiency of the Bt gene drastically reduces. Ineffective against sucking pests like jassids , whitefly etc . The state of Maharashtra banned the sale and distribution of Bt cotton in 2012, to promote local Indian seeds, which demand less water, fertilizers and pesticide input, but lifted the ban in 2013 . Burkina Faso banned Bt cotton in 2016, because of economic and quality concerns, in Africa. It is prohibited in Hawaii since 2013. some parts of Florida has also prohibited it.

10. India has bred Bt -cotton varieties such as  Bikaneri Nerma  and hybrids such as NHH-44. Currently it is the 3 rd largest producer after China and US.

11. References. The facts, information and pictures are taken from:- www.google.com www.Wikipedia.org

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