Agri Varsity Introduces New BT Cotton Seed, Set to Turn Market Upside Down

HYDERABAD: The BT cotton varieties’ seeds sold by private companies will now have competition from homegrown BT cotton seeds, with the Prof Jayashankar Telangana Agriculture University on Saturday announcing that it had developed a new variety of a BT cotton seed, a category that is popular among farmers.

University Vice Chancellor Prof. Aldas Janaiah told reporters that the university scientists developed WGCV BT-28 cotton seed, which is particularly suited for cultivation in south India. “This variety will not only challenge the monopoly of private companies on BT cotton seeds, but will also save farmers anywhere between `4,000 and `5,000 per acre in seed costs alone,” Prof Janaiah said.

Another significant feature of the university’s BT cotton seed variety is that farmers can save seeds after cotton harvests and use them for the subsequent crop seasons unlike seeds harvested from farms that plant privately sold BT cotton seeds, that are designed not germinate in their second generation.

Prof Janaiah said that another 11 seed varieties covering crops such as paddy (six), maize, jowar, soya, pulses, have received clearance for commercial development and sales. “We will be growing all these seeds this season and make them available to farmers for the next season,” Prof Janaiah said.