The Hindu Business Line : SIMA body seeks study on sucking pests' behaviour in Bt cotton

THE Southern India Mills Association's cotton development body, SIMA-CDRA, has said the behaviour of the sucking pests in Bt cotton needs to be studied as this aspect does not come under the purview of Bt technology.

There is a need to understand how the pest behaves to the Bt crop as these observations would help form necessary input base for future pest management system, according to Mr J. Thulasidharan, Chairman, SIMA-CDRA.

Speaking at the 30th annual general meeting of the SIMA-CDRA held here on Thursday, Mr Thulasidharan pointed out that while the Bt cotton had in-built resistance against bollworm that accounted for more than 50 per cent of pest attacks in cotton, the hybrid cotton would however require pesticides applications with respect to the remaining cotton pests.

In other words, according to Mr Thulasidharan, Bt technology is a component of the integrated pest management only and not the system itself to counter the entire range of pest attacks. The authorities, therefore, will have to make a massive awareness drive in all the States on this aspect with the private/public involvement.

Mr Thulasidharan also said Bt cotton researchers should take concerted effort to develop Bt technology in variety cottons also so that farmers can recycle the seeds thereby hastening the process of Bt seed production.

Mr Thulasidharan informed the CDRA members that the association was working on a tie-up programme for promoting organic cotton which was becoming a strong point for export with demandcoming from developed countries.

The SIMA HB-3 seeds, the new hybrid cotton, have faired well in trial cultivations establishing its superior fibre characteristics of higher micronaire, strength, length as well as its yield potentials (recording highest yield of 25 quintals per hectare).

The yarns spun from this cotton hybrid showed lesser imperfections and neps, a welcome feature in spinning quality of yarn.

SIMA CDRA has produced seeds for sufficient trials for the `Puratassi' sowing, he added.

Re-elected: Mr Thulasidharan, Managing Director of Rajaratna Mills Pvt Ltd was re-elected Chairman of SIMA-CDRA for 2005-06.

Mr Sathyanathan and Mr P.D. Damodaran were also reelected as Vice-Chairmen.

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