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BRAZIL – GM COTTON TO REDUCE INSECTICIDE USE
Bt cotton: Brazilian farmers to use 25% less insecticides
22 September 2006. Source: CropBiotech Update, http://www.isaaa.org/kc
Bt cotton, modified to contain a insecticidal gene of bacterial origin toxic to common lepidopteran pests, results in a reduction in the number of insecticide applications, which translates to a reduction in production costs.
“Today, cotton production in Brazil requires about 20 applications of insecticides to control insect pests,” says Wilhelmus Uitdewilligen, from the Association of Cotton Producers of Mato Grosso, Brazil. “With transgenic cotton, we estimate a reduction of 25%.” Biotech cotton has been approved for commercial planting by the Brazilian Technical Commission for Biosafety (CNTBio).
“With a reduction in costs and a decrease in the use of insecticides, we will improve our competitiveness in the international cotton market,” said Uitdewilligen. He also stated that Brazil has a ten-year delay in adopting the technology compared to international competitors like the United States, China, and India, which affects the competitiveness of the Brazilian product.
For more information visit: http://www.cib.org.br/midia.php?ID=17760
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