OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR GENERAL AGRICULTURE (RESEARCH) AYUB AGRICULTURAL RESEARCILINSTITUTE, FAISALABAL Tel: +92 41 9201671-72 Fax: +92 41 92016;? mail: dgaraari@yahoo.com No..2.7983 /lech/e .-4 Dated: 19-11-2014 To The Secretary, Government of the Punjab, Agriculture Department, Lahore Subject: © PINK BOLLWORM INFESTATION ON BT COTTON In continuation of this office letter No. 2804/Tech dated 24-10-201 on subject mentioned above, kindly find enclosed report on reasons of flare-up Pink Bollworm in Punjab during cotton crop season 2014 Genet? (DR. ABID MAHMOOD) DIRECTOR GENERAL AGRI. (RESEARCH) cc: 1. PS to Minister for Agriculture, Government of the Punjab, Lahore 2. Director General Agriculture (Extension & AR), Punjab Lahore 3. Director, Cotton Research Institute, FaisalabadPOSSIBLE REASONS OF FLARE UP OF PINK BOLLWORM IN PUNJAB DURING COTTON CROP SEASON 2014 All the Bt cotton sown in Punjab is f generation Bollgard-i carrying CrylAc single gene which was developed mainly for the control of American sollworm. Main cotton growing counties ic. China, India USA and Australia aM 3a nave shified to 2", 3° and 4" generation Bi cotton carrying multiple genes Decause: © The advance generation BI cotton give season long control of all bollworms whereas toxic level in I generation Bt cotton decrease alter 90 days. © 2 and onward Bt generation have high level of toxin as compared to 1 gencration of Bt cotton (Annexure-1). © 2” generation Bt cotton has more toxin in floral -parts as compared to leaves. Some of the possible reasons of flare up of pink bollworm during this season 1. Old and out dated version of 1 generation Bt cotton (Cry LAc single gene) which is less effective against pink bollworm. 2. Survey conducted by the Scientists of Research wing and laboratory tests using quantitative ELISA contirmed that high infestation of pink bollworm was due to low level of Bt toxin in early planted crop (alter 90 days of sowing). Pink bollworm attacked carly sown Bt cotton as toxin level was. reduced at that time due to age of the plant. Pest population of carly sown cotton was shifted to normal sown crop and caused Mare up.. Survey also indicatec that in most of the ficids non-Bt seed was.mixed with Bt varieties. Therefore Pink Bollworm survived on non-Bt cowon and shified to Bt cotton plants at later stage. . Due to lower rates of cotton in the market. the farmer did not adopt proper plant protection measures especially at the later stage of crop . Frequent rains during late August and September provided favorable conditions for pink bollworm infestation. Cat) Dr. Abid Mahmood Director General Agri. (Research) Ayub Agricultural Research Inst. FaisalabadAnnexure-1 COMPARISON OF CRYLAC AND CRY 2AB PROTEINS IN TWO. (ug/g DRY WEIGHT) Plant part Quantitative J ve Bollgard Large leaf _ ‘Terminal leat Square Bract Calyx ‘Petal | Anthers [Oval Small boll Average | ; ICAC Recorder, March 2003 pp: 8