Explaining contradictory evidence regarding impacts of genetically modified crops in developing countries. Varietal performance of transgenic cotton in India

2005 ◽  
Vol 143 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. BENNETT ◽  
Y. ISMAEL ◽  
S. MORSE
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽  
Genetically Modified Crops ◽  
Transgenic Cotton ◽  
Hybrid Vigour ◽  
Bt Cotton ◽  
Yield Performance ◽  
Contradictory Evidence ◽  
Bt Gene ◽  
Better Than

A study of the commercial growing of different varieties of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton compares the performance of growing official and unofficial hybrid varieties of Bt cotton and conventional (non-Bt) hybrids in Gujarat by 622 farmers. Results suggest that the official Bt varieties (MECH 12 and MECH 162) significantly outperform the unofficial varieties. However, unofficial, locally produced Bt hybrids can also perform significantly better than non-Bt hybrids, although second generation (F2) Bt seed appears to have no yield advantage compared to non-Bt hybrids but can save on insecticide use. Although hybrid vigour is reduced, or even lost, with F2 seed the Bt gene still confers some advantage. The F2 seed is regarded as ‘GM’ by the farmers (and is sold as such), even though its yield performance is little better than the non-GM hybrids. The results help to explain why there is so much confusion arising from GM cotton release in India.

Triple Helix Model of Innovation and the Politics of Genetically Modified Crops: Cases of Bt Cotton and Bt Brinjal in India

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 434-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madhulika Kumari ◽  
Sambit Mallick
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽  
Triple Helix ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Genetically Modified Crops ◽  
Bt Cotton ◽  
Bt Crops ◽  
Triple Helix Model ◽  
Private Research ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Government

The construal of genetically modified (gm) crops is not just scientific or technological, but also inherently political. This article attempts to understand the implications of proprietary technologies in agriculture in India where two gm crops namely Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) brinjal are analyzed. It critically examines how different normative institutional frameworks and ideologies are deeply embedded in the way diverse actors select their research questions. Further, an attempt is made to unfurl the debates on the policies of biotechnology, in general and Bt crops, in particular. It then moves onto capturing the networking between the government, academia and industry with reference to gm crops, particularly Bt cotton and Bt brinjal. In-depth personal interviews with 81 plant biotechnologists in the government, academic, and private research and development (R&D) institutions in India were conducted to ascertain the views of various stakeholders about Bt crops in agriculture in India.

scholarly journals Organising household consumption and occupational proportions

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 748-772
Author(s):  
Tolu Olarewaju
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Occupational Status ◽  
Household Consumption ◽  
Quantile Regressions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Causality Tests ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Better Than

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the occupational status and entrepreneurship research in developing countries by proposing that there are implications for household consumption depending on the occupational status proportion of households. When the occupational proportion of the household changes, household consumption is affected. This effect also changes depending on what quantile level the household is in terms of household consumption. Design/methodology/approach The paper makes use of OLS and quantile regressions to examine 6,919 households comprising 40,294 individuals from the 2009 Nigerian Living standards measurement survey. Findings The paper finds that there are implications for household consumption based on the proportion of individuals in each occupational category. The contributions of each employment proportion changes at different quantiles with self-employed individuals increasing household consumption at the lower quantiles but reducing household consumption at the upper quantiles. Crucially, having a higher proportion of unemployed individuals in the household is oftentimes better than having a higher proportion of own account self-employed individuals. Research limitations/implications This paper offers new insights into how occupation proportion influences household consumption in developing countries. As a result, the household could seek to organise its members in such a way as to maximise combined household consumption, as diverse occupational statuses contribute differently to the household consumption at different quantile levels. The nature of the data used in this study however does not allow for causality tests. Practical implications The proportion of employment statuses in the household has implications for household consumption and so the mix of employment in the household is important. The self-employed could also be involved in activities to enhance household consumption that are not captured by labour income. However, self-employment does not seem to always have a positive effect on household consumption and sometimes unemployment might be better. Originality/value The paper provides a new way to view the household as an organising entity in terms of how it can allocate employment proportions to maximise household consumption.

scholarly journals Influence of Cry1Ac Toxin From Bt Cotton on the Soil Microbiota

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 364
Author(s):  
Marcos Gino Fernandes ◽  
Renata Pires de Araújo ◽  
Eduardo Neves Costa ◽  
Ana Claudia Terumi Abe Zangirolymo ◽  
Rodrigo Matheus Pereira
Keyword(s):  
Soil Bacteria ◽  
Marker Gene ◽  
First Record ◽  
Transgenic Cotton ◽  
Natural Soil ◽  
Bt Cotton ◽  
Bacterial Populations ◽  
Soil Microbiota ◽  
Cry1ac Toxin ◽  
Gene 16S Rrna

The first record of transgenic cotton cultivation in Brazil was in 2005, of that of the cultivar MON 531, possessing the cry1Ac gene. Since then, no evaluation has been performed to understand whether the cultivation of Bt cotton has caused any interference with the soil microbiota, including bacteria. In this context, our research was aimed to assess whether the cultivation of Bt cotton negatively affects the community of soil bacteria, through quantitative and metagenomic analyses (marker gene 16S rRNA) for phylum identification. Samples of bacterial populations obtained from the soil cultivated with Bt cotton expressing the Cry1Ac toxin were compared with soil samples from the area cultivated with conventional cotton. Significant differences were not observed in the measure of colony-forming units of bacteria between the soils cultivated with Bt and non-Bt cotton; however, differences were detected only when comparing samples from different collection times of the Bt treatment. Cultivation of Bt cotton did not affect the diversity of the soil bacterial population. Overall, our study shows that, similar to most of the works that have been reported worldwide, cultivation of transgenic cotton does not seem to affect the quantity and diversity of natural soil bacteria.

scholarly journals Design and Fabrication of Manually Powered Path Cleaner using Pulley Drives

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 293-295
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Preliminary Design ◽  
Cleaning Efficiency ◽  
2D Modelling ◽  
Design Calculations ◽  
Better Than

Developed countries uses electrically powered cleaners, but developing countries like India still depends on manual broom, in such countries proposed manually powered path cleaner would be very useful and effective. The Present work focuses on preliminary design and fabrication of a Manually Powered Path Cleaner using pulley drive. The main objective is to reduce the usage of electricity involved in cleaning the path. The cleaning efficiency of the manually powered path cleaner is estimated to be better than the manual broom when the equipment is fully completed. The AutoCAD 2018 was used for 2D modelling and the design calculations and fabrication was performed.

Friendly Foes: The Bio-control Agents

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalpana Singh
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Biological Control ◽  
Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽  
United States Of America ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Mosquito Larvae ◽  
Bt Cotton ◽  
Economic Threshold ◽  
Pest Population ◽  
Natural Way

The bio-control agents are those organisms that manage the pest population in natural way and keep them below the economic threshold and are thus applied by the agency of man. This process is known as bio-control or biological control. They are foes to the pests and are thus beneficial and a friend for us. There are many pathogens (Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt cotton), parasites (parasitoids, ex. Parasitic wasps, tachinid flies) and predators (ex. Gambusia fish against mosquito larvae) that can be applied as bio-control agents. Many are being used as effective pest control agent in Europe and United States of America. There is lots of potential in this field and more explorations and researches need to be done in an agricultural country like India.

After Paris: Good Enough Climate Governance

2016 ◽  
Vol 115 (777) ◽  
pp. 3-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Busby
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Climate Governance ◽  
The Right ◽  
Better Than

[F]or many developing countries, the Paris agreement is better than no deal and an important step in the right direction.

scholarly journals A survey study of Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) using phages P1,P2 &P3 in Tamluk, West Bengal,India

1970 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 15-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
NC Som ◽  
M Chowdhury
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽  
West Bengal ◽  
Agar Medium ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Genetically Modified Food ◽  
Bt Cotton ◽  
Medical Sciences ◽  
Soybean Product ◽  
Gm Foods ◽  
Formation Pattern

Genetically modified food, GM foods and crops like Bt cotton, Bt Brinjal,developed from Bacillus thuringiensis, an insecticide and "Round up Ready", a soybean product from other microorganism led the scientist to conclude that the future world's hunger and malnutrition can be overcome. To make more contribution and future use, a survey study of distribution of Bacillus thuringiensis is done Bt- phages P1,P2,P3, are used in replica formation pattern in M-1 agar medium. Spores are used in this study. Only 6 phage affected colonies are detected and their pathogenocity is confirmed on Bombyx mori larva.Key words: Bacillus thuringiensis; insecticide; pathogenicity. DOI: 10.3126/jcmsn.v6i3.4069Journal of College of Medical Sciences-Nepal, 2010, Vol. 6, No. 3 pp.15-18

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