Agência Brasil

Brasília - Cultivation of transgenic cotton was limited by the Ministry of Agriculture in order to preserve the cultivation of wild, native cotton in the country, Paulo Barroso, a researcher at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Company (Embrapa), explained in an interview with the Radio Nacional on Saturday (29).

A administrative order signed last week by the minister of Agriculture, Roberto Rodrigues, prohibits the cultivation of transgenic cotton in northern Bahia; the Seridó region, which covers parts of the states of Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte in the country's Northeast region; in the entire North region of the country; and in Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, in the Center-West region.

"If a cross between transgenic material and these wild materials takes place, there could be a loss of genetic characteristics. Wild cotton is very important, in terms of both its preservation in places where it is found as in the gap it could cause in the future when we need to conduct research to resolve problems involving cotton," Barroso explained.

Barroso also observed that native Brazilian cotton is a source of important genes that will help improve "the genetic characteristics of new species." And that the possibility of mixture with transgenic genes "could compromise the diversity of the plant, with grave future consequences."

Translation: David Silberstein