Frequently Asked Questions About Biotech Cotton II

摘要

The bollworm complex caused more damage to cotton than any other group of pests during the 1980s and the first half of 1990s. Insecticide use had reached its peak in many countries and the consequences of insecticide resistance had also become evidentin cotton producing countries, big and small. The only exception to the impact of bollworms was in the Americas and, more particularly, the Central American countries, where the greatest damage was not attributable to the bollworm, but to the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis. The US boll weevil eradication program proved to be effective and was expanding to the west, but the Central American countries could not afford to continue increasing the use of insecticides to control that pest. Ultimately, the Central American countries succumbed to the combined impact of the high cost of insecticides and the consequences of frequent spraying. The environmental impact was, of course, a concern. However, at that time, the cotton industry was not as aware as it is today, after having witnessed the disastrous effects of insecticide use. So, the cessation of cotton production in Central American, showed how destructive resistance to insecticides could be, and the bollworm complex emerged as the major threat to cotton production. There could not have been a more suitable moment than the early 1990s for the introduction of a new technology, such as biotech cotton. The pesticide industry could not cope with demands from the field, even though target-specific pesticides employing softer chemicals were soon to be introduced, along with measures to avoid the resistance problem.