Which of the following are advantages of Bt cotton?
A. Reduced insecticide use
B. Prevent bollworm infection
C. Increased yield
D. Increased post harvest losses
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → A, B and C only
Bt cotton is a genetically modified cotton. A cry gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis has been put into it, so the plant makes the Bt toxin itself. The toxin is harmless to the plant and kills the bollworms that feed on it. In effect, the plant becomes a built-in bio-pesticide.
A. Reduced insecticide use — Correct. The plant protects itself against insects, so less chemical insecticide has to be sprayed.
B. Prevent bollworm infection — Correct. A bollworm that eats the plant takes in the toxin and dies. The toxin is activated in the alkaline gut of the insect, where it makes pores in the gut cells.
C. Increased yield — Correct. The crop loses less to bollworm damage, so more cotton is harvested.
D. Increased post harvest losses — Incorrect. NCERT lists a reduction of post-harvest losses among the gains of genetic modification. Losses do not increase.