Abstract
Cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L ) genetically modified to express protein(s) derived from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), and specifically toxic to caterpillar (Lepidoptera) pests, has been sold commercially since 1996. On the continent of Africa, only South Africa has approved the commercial use of Bt cotton. Recently, over three field seasons (2003–2005), second‐generation Bt cotton (Bollgard II, Monsanto Co., St. Louis, MO) was tested in confined field trials in the west African country of Burkina Faso. Observations of pest density, seed cotton yields, and the cost of insecticide sprays were evaluated in an economic model under a wide range of theoretical Bt technology cost premiums to determine the potential relative profitability of Bt cotton and conventional cotton. Results averaged over three seasons indicate a Bollgard II yield advantage of 15% under conditions of low to moderate lepidopteran pest pressure, while insecticide sprays were reduced by two‐thirds in the Bt cotton plots. According to the economic model, Bollgard II remained profitable to the grower throughout the range of theoretical technology premiums evaluated ($0–75 per hectare) and was represented by economic gains of $79 to 154 per hectare. Due mainly to the relatively low pest densities encountered at these research sites, the authors suggest that the model results presented may, in fact, underestimate the profitability of Bt cotton in Burkina Faso.
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Claims 5
Claim · model-written summary
Bollgard II produced a 15% seed cotton yield advantage under low to moderate lepidopteran pest pressure.
- Taxon
- cotton
Gossypium hirsutumt0 - Treatment
- Bollgard IIe0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- advantagee0
- Value
- 15%e0
- Qualifier
- low to moderate lepidopteran pest pressuree0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Results averaged over three seasons indicate a Bollgard II yield advantage of 15% under conditions of low to moderate lepidopteran pest pressure”
t0“Bt Cotton”
Claim · model-written summary
Insecticide sprays in Bt cotton plots were reduced by two-thirds.
- Taxon
- CottonGossypium hirsutumt0
- Treatment
- Bt cottone0
- Outcome
- insecticide sprayse0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Value
- two‐thirdse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“insecticide sprays were reduced by two‐thirds in the Bt cotton plots”
t0“Bt Cotton”
Claim · model-written summary
The economic model found Bollgard II profitable throughout $0–75 per hectare theoretical technology premiums.
- Taxon
- cottonGossypium hirsutumt0
- Outcome
- profitable to the growere0
- Value
- $0–75 per hectaree0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Bollgard II remained profitable to the grower throughout the range of theoretical technology premiums evaluated ($0–75 per hectare)”
t0“Bt Cotton”
Claim · model-written summary
The economic model estimated gains of $79 to 154 per hectare for Bollgard II.
- Taxon
- cottonGossypium hirsutumt0
- Outcome
- economic gainse0
- Value
- $79 to 154 per hectaree0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“economic gains of $79 to 154 per hectare”
t0“Bt Cotton”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors suggest that low pest densities may make the model underestimate Bt cotton profitability in Burkina Faso.
- Taxon
- cottonGossypium hirsutume0
- Outcome
- underestimate the profitabilitye0
- Qualifier
- relatively low pest densitiese0
- Setting
- Burkina Fasoe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Due mainly to the relatively low pest densities encountered at these research sites, the authors suggest that the model results presented may, in fact, underestimate the profitability of Bt cotton in Burkina Faso”
The same questions in other papers
transgenic · molecular: metabolites · Gossypium hirsutum (cotton)Positive and negative results
23 papers in the same direction as this paper · 3 in the opposite direction
- no effect
- negative
- negative
23 papers more in this group
See all 27 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.