The Hindu : Kits to test seed quality developed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 14, 2003

National

National

Kits to test seed quality developed

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI June 13. Even as there have been increasing complaints of sale of spurious Bt cotton seeds, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research today announced the development of three easy-to-use kits for testing the quality of the seeds at the farm level itself.

The kits, developed by scientists at the ICAR's Nagpur-based Central Institute for Cotton Research, work by quantifying the level of Bt gene, called Cry 1 A (c), expressed in the transgenic crop.

According to an ICAR press release, while one kit called `Cry -1 Ac Bt Quant' facilitates a precise quantification of the gene expressed in the plants within four hours, the second called `Cry 1 Ac Bt-detect' detects the presence of the Bt toxin in seeds or plant tissue in about two to three hours. The third, called `Cry 1 Ac Bt Express', which is in a dip-stick format, on the other hand, provides for a quick detection of the toxin in about 10 minutes.

In a related development, the scientists at the Institute have also developed a method, whereby small farmers could produce their own requirements of Bt toxin for spraying as part of integrated pest management.

A farmer would have to make an investment of Rs. 600 and then spend at the rate of Rs. 160 per hectare whenever they need to produce the toxin.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National