Australia
December 14, 2016
Australian cotton farmers have declared their confidence in new GM cotton technology Bollgard® 3 by planting 92 per cent of this season’s 457,000-hectare crop to varieties containing the new technology.
Monsanto Australia Managing Director, Tony May, said 240 growers will plant cotton for the first time or will return to cotton after a break this season.
“These new and returning growers will plant 40,000ha of the total area. Of this, 75 per cent are dryland hectares which is a strong signal that growers have been encouraged by the benefits Bollgard 3 offers to plant cotton, and in new areas,” Tony said.
Tony said that the greater flexibility under the Bollgard 3 Resistance Management Plan (RMP) has helped entice new growers to the industry and expanded the cotton area. Changes to the RMP include a less restrictive planting window along with reduced refuge and pupae busting requirements.
Grain farmer Andrew Free from Warwick, south of Toowoomba is growing around 100 green dryland hectares of Bollgard 3 this season. It is the first time he has grown cotton in 16 years.
“I’m very much attracted to Bollgard 3 because it is becoming much easier to grow cotton and there is less to worry about. You’re not on your own - you’ve got a lot of technology on board.
“I’m so impressed with the ease of management especially when you are time poor. Monsanto have come on board with Bollgard 3 as far as I can see with the ease of growing it, especially in regards to how much refuge crop you need.
“It is a very different crop compared to 16 years ago,” Andrew said.
Tony May said that most of the cotton that is expected to be planted is now in the ground.
“At 457,000ha, this year is the largest area planted since 2011 coinciding with the fastest adoption of a new GM trait seen anywhere in the world. While there is still some way to go, it is looking to be a very strong season for cotton growers indeed.
“It is great to see the industry return to strength after a tough few years,” Tony said.
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