Main message: Insect pests destroy yield before harvest. The Bt gene, introduced into plants by biotechnology, prevents crop insect damage and avoids the need for excessive crop sprays with synthetic pesticides.
Genetically engineered (GE) crops continue to expand and
transform agriculture on a global scale. In 2017, nearly 190M hectares of GE
crops were grown by about 18M farmers in 24 countries, including 101M hectares
of crops with high levels of host plant resistance to caterpillar and beetle
pests [1]. Between 1996 and 2015, this adoption has been associated with
increases in farm income > $50,274M and $45,958M, in Bt cotton and maize,
respectively, and reductions of > 268M and 87M kg of insecticide active
ingredient in Bt cotton and maize, respectively [2]. However, the potential
benefits provided by Bt crops have largely gone unrealized in fruits and
vegetables where insect management continues to rely primarily on the use of
synthetic insecticides [3]. This situation is changing in Bangladesh with the
introduction of Bt eggplant.
Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), or brinjal as it is called
in Bangladesh and India, is one of the most important and popular vegetables in
South and Southeast Asia. The crop is damaged severely by the brinjal fruit and
shoot borer (BFSB)(Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). The
caterpillar damages brinjal by boring into the petiole and midrib of leaves and
tender shoots, resulting in wilting and desiccation of stems. Larvae also feed
on flowers, resulting in flower drop or misshapen fruits. The most serious
economic damage caused by BFSB is to the fruit, because the holes, feeding
tunnels, and larval excrement may make the fruit unmarketable and unfit for
human consumption.
BFSB poses a serious problem because of its high
reproductive potential, rapid turnover of generations and intensive damage
during the wet and dry seasons. Infestation levels may exceed 90% and the yield
loss has been estimated up to 86% in Bangladesh [4]. It has been reported that
98% of Bangladeshi farmers rely solely on insecticide sprays to control BFSB
[5] and farmers may apply as many as 84 insecticide sprays during the cropping
season [6]. This practice is unhealthy for consumers, farmers, and the
environment, and is expensive to farmers. As an alternative to intensive use of
insecticides, the India-based Maharashtra Hybrid Seed Company (Mahyco) inserted
the Cry1Ac gene, under the control of the constitutive 35S CaMV promoter, into
eggplant (termed ‘event’ EE-1) to control feeding damage by EFSB….
Citation:
Prodhan MZH, Hasan MT, Chowdhury MMI, Alam MS, Rahman ML,
Azad AK, et al. (2018) Bt eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) in Bangladesh: Fruit
production and control of eggplant fruit and shoot borer (Leucinodes orbonalis
Guenee), effects on non-target arthropods and economic returns. PLoS ONE 13(11):
e0205713. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205713
Ref [2] above Brookes G, Barfoot P. GM crops: global
socio-economic and environmental impacts 1996–2015. UK: PG economics LTD; 2017.
Interested in broader aspects of yield?
See a later post
Interested in broader aspects of yield?
See a later post
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