Bt Cotton Lessens Pesticide Runoff

WASHINGTON - Mar 7/01 - STAT -- The debate over use of genetically engineered plants is becoming more complex as proponents of their use demonstrate some classes of plants make a positive environmental contribution.

This has been shown to be the case with some types of corn, while analysis of runoff waters from cotton fields found significant decreases in levels of pesticide contamination. In fact, runoff water from Mississippi fields planted with genetically engineered cotton was virtually free of insecticides.

During the four year study, USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) researchers planted cotton that was genetically engineered to contain a toxin from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis.

Researchers planted the Bt cotton near Beasley Lake in Sunflower County--one of three watersheds within ARS' Mississippi Delta Management Systems Evaluation Area project. Because Bt cotton produces its own insect-inhibiting toxin, less pyrethroid insecticide is needed to control budworm and bollworm infestations.

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