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Transgenic cotton: High hopes and farming reality

To determine the potential of any promising tool, its performance in practice must always be considered. Two recent articles reach different conclusions on one important benefit of Bacillus thuringiensis cotton management: the potential to reduce pesticide sprays.

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Figure 1: Metric tonnes of insecticides used in India between 1995–2011 against major insect pests.
Figure 2: Roselle (Hibiscus cannabinus L.), which is eaten raw as a chutney, growing in gaps between Bt cotton plants in Telangana, India.

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Flachs, A. Transgenic cotton: High hopes and farming reality. Nature Plants 3, 16212 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nplants.2016.212

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