Statement of Professor Chari, CWS Hyderabad/Indien, to the reaction of Monsanto Germany to the article published in Frankfurter Rundschau "Die Bauern gehen auf die Barrikaden" (Farmers go on barricades).

February 9, 1999

The following points are my reply to the Monsantos reaction to "Farmers go on Barricades", FR of 11.01.1999.

The Bacillus thuringiensis is not recommended by the scientists for the control of sucking pests of cotton viz., Jassids, Whiteflies, Aphids and Mites. Insecticide sprays are required to control these pests on cotton for the first 45 days. The farmers are spraying systemic insecticides to control these pests. B.t is effective only for the control of caterpillars, (Lepidoptera). Bollgard variety also needs 3 to 4 sprays for the control of sucking pest complex on cotton. No scientific information is available on the efficacy of Bt on sucking pest complex. The additional insecticidal sprays will increase the cost of productions of crop.

The pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) is gaining importance as a serious pest in Semi Arid Tropics i.e. dryland cotton. No information is available on the reaction of Bollgard to this pest.

The cotton crop in India is affected by about 130 species of insects and few species of mites are responsible to a greater extent for low yields in India. How will the Bollgard variety give protection to these insect species?. A scientist from Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Warangal opined (personal communication) that the Bollgard cotton crop is susceptible to sucking pest complex.

M.S.CHARI, IFAD-ICRISAT Project
Centre for World Solidarity (CWS), Hyderabad, India

Bei Abdruck (auch auszugsweise), Vervielfältigung, Zitat wird um Nennung der Quelle gebeten.

Die Bauern gehen auf die Barrikaden

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