ICAC Develops Method of Detecting Bug Resistance
August 26, 2009 via the International News
The International Cotton Advisory Committee has developed a single-step, easy-to-use dip-strip to detect insecticide-resistant cotton bollworms, enabling the farmers to detect in 10 minutes whether cotton bollworms have developed resistance.
In this regard, the ICAC implemented a project called ‘Sustainable control of cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera in small-scale cotton production systems’ in China, India, Pakistan and the UK.
The Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) and national governments in the four countries sponsored the project. The main objective of the project was to find cheaper and environmentally-sustainable control methods aimed at minimising the use of insecticides and avoiding the development of resistance to insecticides.
Two techniques were developed during the project which could be used in other cotton-producing countries. The project developed a ‘Resistance Kit’, which is a single-step, easy-to-use dip-strip to detect insecticide-resistant cotton bollworms. Farmers can use the kit in the field and in 10 minutes they can detect whether cotton bollworms have developed resistance.
In India, the manufacturing cost of a dip-strip is about 9 to 11 US cents. The technology has a local patent in India.
The project also developed an ‘Insecticide Quality Kit.’ The technique is not suitable to test all types of chemicals, but is useful for many smallholders. Technical material has been published and will also be available at a plenary meeting of the ICAC next month in Cape Town, South Africa
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