Abstract
Bacillus thuringiensis cotton is a variety of cotton genetically modified to contain a gene derived from B. thuringiensis bacteria; which results in expression of toxin protein that confers resistance to bollworm complex (the most destructive pest of cotton). Introduction of Bt cotton lowered the need of insecticides, but still a number of insecticides are used for other insects like jassids, whitefly, aphids and tobacco caterpillar to which Bt gene does not provide effective control. Imidacloprid (tradename Imidacel 17.8 SL) is an insecticide designed for control of these major sucking/piercing insects that affect cotton. So in the present work we studied the post effect of imidacloprid insecticide on plant health of three Bt cotton hybrids (RCH-134, JKCH-1947, NCEH-6R) as there are reports of this insecticide causing growth and yield enhancements in absence of insect pests. Imidacloprid was first sprayed at recommended concentration (40ml/acre) on 3months old plants sown in randomly designed plots with three replications of each hybrid. The spray was repeated three times at 10days interval. The level of B. thuringiensis gene expression, peroxidase activity and total phenols was measured on third day after every spray in leaves along with growth and yield of plants. The insecticide has shown to increase the level of B. thuringiensis protein, peroxidase enzyme activity, total phenols, height, number of bolls retained on plants and yield. These observations suggested that the imidacloprid treated plants showed better growth and development, thereby imidacloprid has growth enhancing effect on Bt cotton plants in addition to its insecticidal properties.
Published Version
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