AUS – NEW GM COTTONS


2 March 2014. Source: Farm Weekly http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/cropping/cotton/gm-to-tackle-cotton-pests/2688466.aspx?storypage=0

THE COTTON industry is set to take the fight against heliothis pests to a new level in the 2015-16 season when the three-gene, insect-resistant Bollgard III lines of cotton are due for commercial release.

Bollgard III will take over from the highly successful, two-gene Bollgard II.

The introduction of genetically-modified, insect-resistant cottons – which started with Ingard in 1996 and Bollgard II in 2004 – is credited with reducing insecticide application rates in the industry by 80 percent.

Monsanto technical development team lead Tony May said the aim of taking the next step of introducing Bollgard III was to make sure the Bt technology would remain an effective tool for controlling heliothis well into the future.