Science China Life Sciences

, Volume 53, Issue 8, pp 981–991 | Cite as

A decade of Bt cotton in Chinese fields: Assessing the direct effects and indirect externalities of Bt cotton adoption in China

  • JiKun Huang
  • JianWei Mi
  • Hai Lin
  • ZiJun Wang
  • RuiJian Chen
  • RuiFa Hu
  • Scott Rozelle
  • Carl Pray
Research Papers
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine whether or not the gains from reduced spraying for bollworms are being sustained more than one decade after the initial adoption in 2007. Based on farm-level data collected by the authors in 1999–2007 in 16 villages from 4 provinces, this study shows that insecticides applied for controlling bollworms have declined. This analysis supports Chinese policy makers’ decision to not require refuges of non-Bt cotton fields. It also suggests that past studies may have underestimated the benefits from adopting Bt technology.

Keywords

biotechnology Bt cotton insecticide sustainability externalities China 
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Copyright information

© Science China Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010

Authors and Affiliations

  • JiKun Huang
    • 1
  • JianWei Mi
    • 1
    • 2
  • Hai Lin
    • 1
    • 3
  • ZiJun Wang
    • 1
    • 4
  • RuiJian Chen
    • 1
    • 5
  • RuiFa Hu
    • 1
  • Scott Rozelle
    • 6
  • Carl Pray
    • 7
  1. 1.Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resource ResearchChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
  2. 2.Department of Economic PredictionState Information CenterBeijingChina
  3. 3.China Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
  4. 4.School of ManagementFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
  5. 5.Foreign Economic Cooperative CenterMinistry of AgricultureBeijingChina
  6. 6.Food Security and the Environment Program, Freeman Spogli Institute for International StudiesStanford UniversityStanfordUSA
  7. 7.School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgersthe State University of New JerseyNew BrunswickUSA

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