Development of hybrid Bt cotton in China - A successful integration of transgenic technology and conventional techniques

In China, transgenic Bt cotton is the main GM crop under large-scale commercial production. Field trials and surveys in different provinces show that Bt cotton varieties provided significant gains in net revenue to farmers as a result of reduced production costs. However, yield increase compared to the non-Bt cotton varieties with good management and pesticide applications was marginal. Hybrid (F1) Bt cotton developed after crossing a Bt line with a non-Bt line, resulted in approximately 20% yield increase over the Bt cotton variety. Hybrid Bt cotton has been widely adopted in southern China. Rapid adoption is mainly attributed to hybrid seed production in northern China and application of agronomic technique for hybrid cotton cultivation such as seedling transplanting and planting at lower population density in regions of Southern China. The experience of Bt hybrid cotton development in China could be useful to other developing countries.