Evaluation of Bt Cotton as an Integral Component of Integrated Pest Management

摘要

Bt cotton hybrid were evaluated as an component of Integrated Pest Management and compared with farmers practice. During 2005-06, the Bt hybrid viz., RCH134 with IPM module was compared with BT hybrid with farmers practice (FP), conventional variety (CV) F1861 with IPM module and F1861 with farmers practice (FP). Later in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, IPM module with Bt (RCH134Bt) was compared with non Bt version of same hybrid, RCH134 non Bt, with farmers practice. The sucking pests remained almost samein all the treatments in all years of study. The bollworm incidence is quite low in IPM and FP plots with Bt cotton than in conventional variety (F1861). The results indicated that performance of Bt cotton is better in IPM module than non-Bt hybrid in terms of lower incidence of bollworms, higher yield, gross income and cost benefit ratio. Bt cotton hybrids must be used as an component of IPM module to get the highest returns.