What are farmers really planting? Measuring the presence and effectiveness of Bt cotton in Pakistan
Genetically modified, insect-resistant Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton is cultivated extensively in Pakistan. Past studies, however, have raised concerns about the prevalence of Bt cotton varieties possessing weak or nonperforming insect-resistance traits conferred by the cry gene. We examine thi...
| Autores principales: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Formato: | Journal Article |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Public Library of Science
2017
|
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148613 |
| _version_ | 1855533653450293248 |
|---|---|
| author | Spielman, David J. Zaidi, Fatima Zambrano, Patricia Khan, Asif Ali Ali, Shaukat Cheema, Masooma Naseer Nazli, Hina Khan, Sohail Ahmad Iqbal, Arshad Zia, Muhammad Amir Ali, Ghulam Muhammad |
| author_browse | Ali, Ghulam Muhammad Ali, Shaukat Cheema, Masooma Naseer Iqbal, Arshad Khan, Asif Ali Khan, Sohail Ahmad Nazli, Hina Spielman, David J. Zaidi, Fatima Zambrano, Patricia Zia, Muhammad Amir |
| author_facet | Spielman, David J. Zaidi, Fatima Zambrano, Patricia Khan, Asif Ali Ali, Shaukat Cheema, Masooma Naseer Nazli, Hina Khan, Sohail Ahmad Iqbal, Arshad Zia, Muhammad Amir Ali, Ghulam Muhammad |
| author_sort | Spielman, David J. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Genetically modified, insect-resistant Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton is cultivated extensively in Pakistan. Past studies, however, have raised concerns about the prevalence of Bt cotton varieties possessing weak or nonperforming insect-resistance traits conferred by the cry gene. We examine this issue using data drawn from a representative sample of cotton-growing households that were surveyed in six agroclimatic zones spanning 28 districts in Pakistan in 2013, as well as measurements of Cry protein levels in cotton tissue samples collected from the sampled households’ main fields. The resultant dataset combines information from 593 sampled households with corresponding plant tissue diagnostics from 70 days after sowing, as well as information from 589 sampled households with corresponding diagnostics from 120 days after sowing. Our analysis indicates that 11 percent of farmers believed they were cultivating Bt cotton when, in fact, the Cry toxin was not present in the tested tissue at 70 days after sowing (i.e., a Type I error). The analysis further indicates that 5 percent of farmers believed they were cultivating non-Bt cotton when, in fact, the Cry toxin was present in the tested tissue (i.e., a Type II error). In addition, 17 percent of all sampled farmers were uncertain whether or not they were cultivating Bt cotton. Overall, 33 percent of farmers either did not know or were mistaken in their beliefs about the presence of the cry gene in the cotton they cultivated. Results also indicate that toxic protein levels in the plant tissue samples occurred below threshold levels for lethality in a significant percentage of cases, although these measurements may also be affected by factors related to tissue sample collection, handling, storage, and testing procedures. Nonetheless, results strongly suggest wide variability both in farmers’ beliefs and in gene expression. Such variability has implications for policy and regulation in Pakistan’s transgenic cotton seed market. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace148613 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publishDateRange | 2017 |
| publishDateSort | 2017 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science |
| publisherStr | Public Library of Science |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1486132025-03-03T18:57:39Z What are farmers really planting? Measuring the presence and effectiveness of Bt cotton in Pakistan Spielman, David J. Zaidi, Fatima Zambrano, Patricia Khan, Asif Ali Ali, Shaukat Cheema, Masooma Naseer Nazli, Hina Khan, Sohail Ahmad Iqbal, Arshad Zia, Muhammad Amir Ali, Ghulam Muhammad pests seed fibre crops seeds policies cotton genetic resources hybrids pest control gene expression seed technology Genetically modified, insect-resistant Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton is cultivated extensively in Pakistan. Past studies, however, have raised concerns about the prevalence of Bt cotton varieties possessing weak or nonperforming insect-resistance traits conferred by the cry gene. We examine this issue using data drawn from a representative sample of cotton-growing households that were surveyed in six agroclimatic zones spanning 28 districts in Pakistan in 2013, as well as measurements of Cry protein levels in cotton tissue samples collected from the sampled households’ main fields. The resultant dataset combines information from 593 sampled households with corresponding plant tissue diagnostics from 70 days after sowing, as well as information from 589 sampled households with corresponding diagnostics from 120 days after sowing. Our analysis indicates that 11 percent of farmers believed they were cultivating Bt cotton when, in fact, the Cry toxin was not present in the tested tissue at 70 days after sowing (i.e., a Type I error). The analysis further indicates that 5 percent of farmers believed they were cultivating non-Bt cotton when, in fact, the Cry toxin was present in the tested tissue (i.e., a Type II error). In addition, 17 percent of all sampled farmers were uncertain whether or not they were cultivating Bt cotton. Overall, 33 percent of farmers either did not know or were mistaken in their beliefs about the presence of the cry gene in the cotton they cultivated. Results also indicate that toxic protein levels in the plant tissue samples occurred below threshold levels for lethality in a significant percentage of cases, although these measurements may also be affected by factors related to tissue sample collection, handling, storage, and testing procedures. Nonetheless, results strongly suggest wide variability both in farmers’ beliefs and in gene expression. Such variability has implications for policy and regulation in Pakistan’s transgenic cotton seed market. 2017 2024-06-21T09:25:13Z 2024-06-21T09:25:13Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148613 en Open Access Public Library of Science Spielman, David J.; Zaidi, Fatima; Zambrano, Patricia; Khan, Asif Ali; Ali, Shaukat; Cheema, Masooma Naseer; Nazli, Hina; Khan, Sohail Ahmad; Iqbal, Arshad; Zia, Muhammad Amir; and Ali, Ghulam Muhammad. 2017. What are farmers really planting? Measuring the presence and effectiveness of Bt cotton in Pakistan. PLoS ONE 12(5): e0176592. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0176592 |
| spellingShingle | pests seed fibre crops seeds policies cotton genetic resources hybrids pest control gene expression seed technology Spielman, David J. Zaidi, Fatima Zambrano, Patricia Khan, Asif Ali Ali, Shaukat Cheema, Masooma Naseer Nazli, Hina Khan, Sohail Ahmad Iqbal, Arshad Zia, Muhammad Amir Ali, Ghulam Muhammad What are farmers really planting? Measuring the presence and effectiveness of Bt cotton in Pakistan |
| title | What are farmers really planting? Measuring the presence and effectiveness of Bt cotton in Pakistan |
| title_full | What are farmers really planting? Measuring the presence and effectiveness of Bt cotton in Pakistan |
| title_fullStr | What are farmers really planting? Measuring the presence and effectiveness of Bt cotton in Pakistan |
| title_full_unstemmed | What are farmers really planting? Measuring the presence and effectiveness of Bt cotton in Pakistan |
| title_short | What are farmers really planting? Measuring the presence and effectiveness of Bt cotton in Pakistan |
| title_sort | what are farmers really planting measuring the presence and effectiveness of bt cotton in pakistan |
| topic | pests seed fibre crops seeds policies cotton genetic resources hybrids pest control gene expression seed technology |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148613 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT spielmandavidj whatarefarmersreallyplantingmeasuringthepresenceandeffectivenessofbtcottoninpakistan AT zaidifatima whatarefarmersreallyplantingmeasuringthepresenceandeffectivenessofbtcottoninpakistan AT zambranopatricia whatarefarmersreallyplantingmeasuringthepresenceandeffectivenessofbtcottoninpakistan AT khanasifali whatarefarmersreallyplantingmeasuringthepresenceandeffectivenessofbtcottoninpakistan AT alishaukat whatarefarmersreallyplantingmeasuringthepresenceandeffectivenessofbtcottoninpakistan AT cheemamasoomanaseer whatarefarmersreallyplantingmeasuringthepresenceandeffectivenessofbtcottoninpakistan AT nazlihina whatarefarmersreallyplantingmeasuringthepresenceandeffectivenessofbtcottoninpakistan AT khansohailahmad whatarefarmersreallyplantingmeasuringthepresenceandeffectivenessofbtcottoninpakistan AT iqbalarshad whatarefarmersreallyplantingmeasuringthepresenceandeffectivenessofbtcottoninpakistan AT ziamuhammadamir whatarefarmersreallyplantingmeasuringthepresenceandeffectivenessofbtcottoninpakistan AT alighulammuhammad whatarefarmersreallyplantingmeasuringthepresenceandeffectivenessofbtcottoninpakistan |