The Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) in Nagpur has introduced Bt genes into 21 cotton seed varieties, which scientists say can be provided to farmers at 10 per cent of the price of hybrid seeds. These also offer better pest resistance, they claim.

For the American agriculture behemoth Monsanto, this could turn out to be the biggest challenge yet in India. The Bt varieties are being provided this year to the state agricultural departments of Telangana and Maharashtra for multi-location testing to be carried out by the state agricultural universities.

The best Bt-varieties will be identified from the multi-location field trial results of 2016 and the seeds will be made available to farmers from 2017. According to K R Kranthi, Director of the Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), after the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that there was no patent on genetically modified (GM) Bt Cotton (Bollgard-mon 531) brought by MonsantoBSE -0.60 per cent 14 years ago to India, CICR will now be introducing Bt genes to traditional Indian cotton varieties.

For the 2016 season, trials will be will be conducted by Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola; Maharashtra Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri; Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani; and Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Telangana.

According to an official, the agriculture ministry is closely watching the progress of research by the universities on cotton seed with an aim to protect farmers' interest. The seeds of Bt varieties can be priced at Rs 150 to Rs 200 per kg and reused every year, compared with the Bt-cotton hybrid seeds, which cost Rs 2,000 a kg and can be used only once. Moreover, scientists say that unlike a majority of the Bt hybrids available in the market that are susceptible to sap-sucking insect pests and diseases, almost all the public sector non-Bt cotton varieties have a broad range of natural tolerance.