Deconstructing Indian cotton: weather, yields, and suicides

Abstract

Background: Cotton with coevolving pests has been grown in India more than 5000 years. Hybrid cotton was introduced in the 1970s with increases in fertilizer and in insecticide use against pink bollworm that caused outbreaks of bollworm. Hybrid Bt cotton, introduced in 2002 to control bollworm and other lepidopteran pests, is grown on more than 90 % of the cotton area. Despite initial declines, year 2013 insecticide use is at 2000 levels, yields plateaued nationally, and farmer suicides increased in some areas. Biological modeling of the pre-1970s cotton/pink bollworm system was used to examine the need for Bt cotton, conditions for its economic viability, and linkage to farmer suicides. Results: Yields in rainfed cotton depend on timing, distribution, and quantity of monsoon rains. Pink bollworm causes damage in irrigated cotton, but not in rainfed cotton unless infested from irrigated fields. Use of Bt cotton seed and insecticide in rainfed cotton is questionable. Conclusions: Bt cotton may be economic in irrigated cotton, whereas costs of Bt seed and insecticide increase the risk of farmer bankruptcy in low-yield rainfed cotton. Inability to use saved seed and inadequate agronomic information trap cotton farmers on biotechnology and insecticide treadmills. Annual suicide rates in rainfed areas are inversely related to farm size and yield, and directly related to increases in Bt cotton adoption (i.e., costs). High-density short-season cottons could increase yields and reduce input costs in irrigated and rainfed cotton. Policy makers need holistic analysis before new technologies are implemented in agricultural development.

Concepts and Strategies of Organic Plant Breeding in Light of Novel Breeding Techniques

“…Transparency and freedom of choice for farmers and consumers as well as a plurality of breeding strategies will allow co-existence of GM and non-GM food chains, and will be beneficial to pluriform societies (e.g., [1][2][3]). Having experienced the impact of coexistence of GE on OA [60], and the disappearance of non-GE cotton seed in India within only 10 years [61], it is important to take measures in advance that different farming systems can co-exist.…”

Climate warming effects on grape and grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana) in thePalearcticregion

“…Furthermore, under climate warming, the first generation flight of adults would occur earlier and the season would be longer with one or more additional generations, although this would not alter the underpinning pheromone-based control strategy. Last, at the strategic level, PBDMs can be used as the production function in a bio-economic analysis of grape to assess local and regional impact of different pests, disease and control strategies under extant and climate change scenarios (Regev et al, 1998;Pemsl et al, 2007;Ponti et al, 2014;Gutierrez et al, 2015). the scientific community.…”

Insecticide resistance status in the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci genetic groups Asia-I, Asia-II-1 and Asia-II-7 on the Indian subcontinent

“…Historically, cotton and vegetables have accounted for more than 50 percent of insecticide usage in India4. With the wider adoption of Bt cotton technology in India during 2002, the insecticide usage on cotton for controlling bollworms had started declining5.…”

“…However, there has been a surge in demand for insecticides on cotton since 2006. As per one estimate, the insecticide usage on cotton in India has increased from 2374 MT in 2006 to 6372 MT in 2011, on account of increase in area under sucking pest susceptible Bt cotton hybrids, resurgence of sucking pests and due to progressive increase in levels of resistance by sucking pests to insecticides467.…”