mirids cotton pests



Chinese GM cotton farmers have long back created genetically engineered cotton that is capable of killing the bollworm larvae that used to destroy their plants. But, what about the other pests called mirids that have taken over the nuisance?



Shenghui Wang of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, US — presenting her results on 25 July in Long Beach, California, at the annual meeting of the American Agricultural Economics Association — proposed a natural solution to this. It is setting up of non-GM cotton fields in areas neighboring GM fields.



These fields will attract the usual pests - which include bollworm larvae — and sprayed with powerful insecticides, it would also keep the mirids in check.



Via: New Scientist