Pink ballworm (PBW) or Pectinophora gossypiella

Scientists and researchers working on the field say that the early sown cotton in Punjab and Haryana, which has crossed 45 days of its life cycle, has become susceptible to the pest pink ballworm (PBW) or Pectinophora gossypiella.

• According to various studies, pink ballworm or Pectinophora gossypiella, is one of commonest pests to infect cotton farms across the world and in India, where it has emerged as a major threat over the past few years.

• PBW has a life cycle of 30 days, while the cotton crop in North India takes about 170 days to harvest. This means that in crops that have already been in the field for at least 45 days, there is a chance of PBW germinating 3-4 times till they are harvested.

• The outbreak of PBW was first reported in 2013-14 in Gujarat from where it quickly spread to other parts of the country, such as Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Haryana and Northern Rajasthan.

• Annually, cotton is grown on 12-12.5 million hectares in India and much of this has been under threat of PBW the past few years.

• PBW can inflict locule damage to the extent of 55 per cent and reduces seed cotton yield by 35-90 per cent. It impacts the lint quality primarily.

• Although Bt cotton kills essentially 100% of susceptible pink bollworm larvae (19–21), this pest rapidly evolved resistance to Bt proteins in laboratory selection experiments in Arizona and in Bt cotton fields in India.

• Cry1Ac protein (toxin against pests) used in Bollgard remains in the plant for only 90 days while the bollworms attack when the plant is 110 to 120 days old.

• India first allowed GM cotton cultivation in 2002 by approving Monsanto’s single gene Bollgard I technology, and Monsanto’s GM cotton seed technology soon dominated 90% of India’s cotton acreage.

• Apart from GM cotton, India has not approved any other transgenic crop.

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