Transformation of Cotton Production through the Use of Genetically Improved Cotton

Abstract

Over time, the production of cotton has dramatically improved. Better cotton varieties are now available. Improvements in agricultural practices with the introduction of chemical insecticides, herbicides and mechanization have increased productivity and efficiency. The introductions of cotton varieties, which contain genetically engineered traits, have transformed cotton production for the better. One such trait, Bollgard® cotton, confers resistance to lepidopterous insect pests that attack cotton such as tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens; cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa zea; and pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Perlak et al., 2001). Introduced in 1996, Bollgard cotton has changed the way farmers approach insect control in their cotton fields. It allows growers to reduce their insecticide use (Carpenter, 2001) while improving their productivity and insect control. It is the only cotton bio-engineered trait for insect control approved in the United States.