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News and comment on genetically modified foods and their associated pesticides    
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INTRODUCTION TO GM

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GENE EDITING MYTHS, RISKS, & RESOURCES

Gene Editing Myths and Reality

Three more Bt brinjal varieties to be released in Bangladesh

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Published: 31 March 2017
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Institute’s new director issues confusing message about whitefly, bacterial wilt problems

The Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) and its partner, Cornell’s Alliance for Science, have previously hyped GM Bt brinjal as “pesticide free” and as an unqualified “success”.

This is in stark contrast with other Bangladeshi sources. The development policy research group UBINIG reported that Bt brinjal has suffered from whitefly infestation and bacterial wilt. The pest problems meant that even banned insecticides were used on the crop, the group said.

The United News of Bangladesh journalist Faisal Rahman also reported major problems with whitefly and bacterial wilt in Bt brinjal.

BARI’s new director general is still claiming that the crop is a success – see article below. But while he still insists that Bt brinjal requires “no application of insecticides”, he rather confusingly admits that “Bt technology is not a panacea” and that “sucking insects such as white fly and diseases such as bacterial wilt need to be managed in Bt brinjal fields”.
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3 more Bt brinjal varieties soon – BARI DG tells workshop in Dhaka

Staff Correspondent
The Daily Star, 24 Mar 2017
http://www.thedailystar.net/city/3-more-bt-brinjal-varieties-soon-1380697

Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) will release three more varieties of the country's first genetically modified (GM) crop -- Bt Brinjal, which is infused with pest-resistant gene.

BARI Director General Dr Abul Kalam Azad made the announcement at a workshop on “Bt Eggplant Research and Development,” in a Dhaka hotel yesterday.

“Bt technology is not a panacea. It works only against shoot and fruit borer. For other diseases, we must manage using other mechanism,” he added.

Farmers from Rajshahi, Rangpur, Pabna and Gazipur started cultivating the Bt Brinjal for the first time in 2014.

Currently, around 6,000 farmers in 36 districts are growing four Bt Brinjal verities -- BARI Bt (Uttara), BARI Bt (Kajla), BARI Bt (Nayontar) and ISD006 Bt BARI.

BARI Chief Scientific Officer ASM Mahbubur Rahman Khan during his presentation on “Performance of Bt brinjal varieties at Farmers Field” and mentioned that the cultivation of this GM crop increased in the country.

Production cost becomes lower for no application of insecticides and higher gross margin obtained in the cultivation of Bt Brinjal, he observed adding that many farmers demanded seeds for cultivation.

However, the sucking insects such as white fly and diseases such as bacterial wilt need to be managed in Bt Brinjal fields, he mentioned.

Prof Anthony M Shelton, director of Feed the Future South Asia Eggplant Improvement Project from Cornell University, said the Bt Brinjal is safe and it has no health hazard.

Speaking as chief guest at the programme, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury said the development of brinjal shoot and fruit borer insect resistant Bt Brinjal is a success story of local and foreign collaboration.

With the journey of cultivating Bt Brinjal, Bangladesh has joined a group of 29 countries that grow GM crops.

Agriculture Ministry Secretary (In-charge) Mohammad Nazmul Islam chaired the programme while Environment and Forests Secretary Istiaque Ahmad, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council Executive Chairman Dr Mohammad Jalal Uddin, Department of Environment Director General Raisul Alam Mondol, USAID country representative Matt J Curtis, BARI former DG Rafiqul Islam Mondol, Department of Agriculture Extension Director Manjurul Hannan among others spoke.

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