During the current planting season, two new players - the Hyderabad-based JK Agri-Genetics and Nath Seeds of Aurangabad, have launched hybrids based on alternate technologies (`constructs) for incorporating genes from the soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt. Thereby Monsantos monopoly over Bt cotton technology in the country is finally over.
The Centre has, till date, approved 59 Bt cotton hybrids for commercial release, of which 44 incorporate the cry1Ac Bt gene construct of Monsanto. In addition, there are eight hybrids containing `Bollgard-II, which is a stacked combination of cry1Ac and cry1Ab Bt genes.
JK Agri has got clearance for four hybrids: `JK Varun Bt in the Central zone, `JK Durga Bt and `JKCH-99 Bt in the South and `JKCH-1947 Bt in the North. Naths three approved hybrids are `NCEH-6 Bt for the North, `NCEH-2R Bt for Central and `NCEH-3R Bt for the South.
While JK Agri has used an alternate cry1Ac gene construct developed by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, Nath has sourced its `cry1Ab-cry1Ac fusion gene technology from Biocentury Transgene Technology Company, a Chinese Government-promoted joint venture.
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| Posted : 7/31/2006 |
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